


Divide

by AlteredFiction



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hurt/Comfort, I think it will be slow maybe., Might have violent imagery later on I'm not sure, Multi, Other, Post-Pacifist Route, Post-True Pacifist, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader-Insert, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Social Anxiety, Suicidal Thoughts, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2018-05-22 20:43:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6093490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlteredFiction/pseuds/AlteredFiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You see, we have a sort of love triangle thing going on, except its a mess.</p><p>I want Sans. Sans wants Toriel. Toriel wants me. </p><p>The entire situation makes me want to die.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting

The devil cannot create, he can only alter creation.  
_________________________________________

For a period of my life I was alone and content, locked inside my home. Then I wasn't. This made me stressed.

My headphones vibrated into my ears. A loud thumping tune boomed until they were sore. I bobbed my head to it. The song was a real banger. I fell out of my chair by throwing my head back too hard once so I kept it slow. That wasn't fun. No knots or anything though.

The song ended and the player cycled to the next one when my stomach rumbled. I'd forgotten to eat again. I got up out of my chair and blood rushed to my head. Too fast. I waited for it to pass then walked into the kitchen. The cold linoleum flooring touched my bare feet, while the next song played. This one was softer and more ambient. I opened the fridge. A half gallon of milk and a single hotdog frank greeted me.

I'd have to go out again.

I sighed. I pulled out both the items and placed them on the counter. I hummed along with the track as I gathered the necessary dinnerware. I cooked the hotdog in a microwave. I watched as it went from shiny and wet to dry and slightly wrinkled. I poured the milk into one of those tin cups. It was thin without a handle. I don't know why but I always liked tin over the other cup materials. Aesthetically I guess.

Then I remembered I didn't have any buns for the hotdog. I don't know what happened.  
I ate it without bread and downed the milk. It wasn't as satisfying without bread.

The next song played.

I sank deep into my chair and relaxed. It was another ambient track. I listened to the song, trying to delay the inevitable. I grabbed my wallet off of the table, checking its contents. Everything was there. I pocketed it and went to the front door.

I stared at the door for a long time. I made my hand into a fist. I clenched it, then unclenched it. Stares. Whispers. Looks of contempt. Feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness. I thought about going without food for a while. I decided against it.

I hesitantly grabbed the doorknob. I held it there for a few minutes. The knobs smooth surface felt good in my hand. Taking a deep breath I open the door and step outside. The halls outside my apartment are quiet and empty. I took the stairs because elevators make me anxious. 

The moon was full, the sky starless. Clouds hovered over the city, morphing into different shapes. A dog slept in an alleyway. There was a fly buzzing in circles above it, never landing. Paper bags and empty beer bottles were littered here and there. Trash cans overflowed with garbage. Graffiti art was painted on buildings, some crude some pretty.

The store was near. I paused to take a breath. Fist, open palm. It was surprisingly clean and organized inside. I guess the owner finally got around to fixing it up. There wasn't anyone inside except the cashier. I went about and gathered the food I wanted, feeling the eyes of the cashier follow me. Their gaze made me quicken my pace.

I place the food on the counter. I daydream for a bit while they scan the stuff. I thought about what it would be like to be invincible. To have bullets bounce off you, to survive deadly falls.

I was shaken out of this banal line of thought when I saw the cashier mouthing something. I realized I still had my headphones on. I paused the music and removed them.

"You gonna pay for this or just stare into space?" The woman said this while chewing gum. I wondered what kind she was chewing.

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that." My face heated up. I pulled an EBT card out of my wallet. 

She raised her eyebrow at the card. "Scan it." She pointed at the card reader.

I breathed a sigh relief. She didn't seem to care about the card. I hope she works here more often.

I did as I was told. I put the pin number in. It accepted the purchase.

"Have a nice day." She handed me my bags.

"You too." 

On my way out the store, I tripped. I messed up my feet placement. The groceries spilled out onto the floor. I freeze on the ground, mortified.

The cashier rushed over to me. "Are you alright?" There was a tone of genuine concern in her voice.

"Yeah." 

"Let me help ya." She started putting the food back into the bags.

"Thank you." I do the same as her.

"No big deal." 

I took the bags from her and bowed slightly. She raises her eyebrow again. 

"Say, like, no offense, but are you drunk or something? You seem kinda out of it."

I turn my head away. "No, I don't do any of that stuff."

"So like, you're one of those straight edge people?"

"Yeah. Like that. I'm just sleepy I guess."

"I get ya. You be careful, okay? I won't be there if you trip again."

"Will do. Thanks a bunch."

I hurry out of the store. I walk as quickly as I can back to the apartment complex. Stupid. Embarrassing. Fool. Fool! Idiot! Careless oaf! I berated myself in this manner all the way home, even while putting the groceries away. 

I go into my bedroom and fall onto the bed. I groan. "She must think I'm a clumsy freak."  
I roll over and pull the blanket over me. "Could have gone worse, I guess." This thought is comforting enough to help me sleep. I dream about exploring a basement filled with clothes and computer parts. Its very uneventful until I leave the basement and find the entire city has been destroyed. The buildings are in decay, vines and grass grow through cracks in the road. There is no one but me. Part of me is at peace, the other filled with dread. It goes dark. I fall down. I curl up and close my eyes.

I wake up. For a brief moment I am a blank slate human being, in that little period of time before all of your memories and experiences flood back and you remember who you are. That time when you can't remember if you should be happy or not. When you realize that the dream wasn't real.

Tiny bits of dust float in beams of light shining through the window. I yawn and stretch. Before I can begin my daily routine, I hear what sounds like shouting outside. Its muffled so I can't make out the words. I get up and head to the door. I take a breath. I slowly crack open the door to listen in. I shouldn't be doing this but I can't help myself.

"SANS, I"M SO EXCITED! WE FINALLY GOT OURSELVES A HOME ON THE SURFACE! THIS PLACE IS ALMOST LIKE THE MTT RESORT, BUT DIRTIER. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE LIKE HERE!"

I didn't know how to react at first. This person sounded like a cartoon character. Their voice was ridiculous.

"it looks like there aren't many people here."

This voice was deeper. Almost normal sounding in comparison, but still slightly off. I couldn't put my finger on why. His name was Sans, apparently.

Briefly forgetting all about my social anxiety, curiosity took over. I poked my head out of the crack to take a look. What I see sends chills down my back.

Standing down the hall to the right were a pair of skeletons. Monsters. They had recently came from the underground and began integrating into human society. The war between monsters and humans was always taught as mythology in school. No one believed it was real, except for a few nutty cultish types that worshipped the monsters as gods. That never made any sense to me since they were the ones that lost, so wouldn't that make them not gods? I don't know. Anyway.

One of the skeletons was dressed in the most bizarre attire I've ever seen. It looked like some weird armor you'd see in anime or something. He was tall and had a goofy face. Seeing a skeleton with changing facial expressions would be unnerving in any other context, but here it was somehow endearing. The other one was short and dressed normally. Just a hoodie with shorts and slippers. Sans.

"IT IS EARLY IN THE MORNING SANS, THEY ARE PROBABLY STILL SLEEPING!"

"then you should probably be keeping it down."

"Oh yeah, ahem, sorry!"

He began speaking in a hushed whisper. 

"Which of these rooms was ours again?"

"lets see..."

Sans turned around and looked right at me. I froze. I'd forgotten that I wasn't invisible. I hadn't seen him from the front yet. He was smiling. Perpetually. Fear gripped me. It was the same feeling you might get when a lion looks directly at you in the wilderness. He pulled a hand out of his jacket pocket and waved.

I pulled my head back in and shut the door. I ran to the fridge and poured a glass of milk. I chugged it. I went to my bed room and shut myself in. Stupid. Idiot. Fool. I'd say they probably didn't appreciate me spying on them. I heard muffled shouting again. I bury my face into my pillow and groan. What the hell was I thinking? I didn't normally do this. I usually kept to myself and didn't care what other people were doing. 

While I was in the middle of silently berating myself, I heard a banging on my door. I laid still in bed before another knock came. 

I had my trepidations about answering the door. I knew they would ask why I was watching. They would probably yell at me. Yelling really upset me.

But I got the idea in my head that I should maybe apologize. It was the right thing to do, right? I didn't want them thinking I was some anti-monster bigot type. That thought filled me with confidence.

I stood in front of the door. I took a deep breath and swung it open.

The two skeletons stood there, the taller one was in mid-knock when it opened. He quickly pulled his hand back.

"GREETINGS, HUMAN! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" he gave an exaggerated bow. "WE SAW YOU POKING YOUR HEAD OUT THE DOOR, AND I JUST WANTED TO APOLOGIZE FOR WAKING YOU. IT WAS RUDE AND INSENSITIVE OF ME!"

I was surprised and relieved.

"Oh, its no trouble. I was awake anyways."

"OH, WELL THAT'S GOOD! I CERTAINLY KNOW I HATE GETTING WOKEN UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A PERFECTLY GOOD NAP! MY BROTHER HERE THOUGH, HE TAKES IT TOO FAR. HE PRACTICALLY SLEEPS ALL THE TIME!"

Sans shrugged in response.

Papyrus raised an eyebrow at this.

"WELL, ANYWAY, IT APPEARS WE ARE GOING TO BE YOUR NEW NEIGHBORS! OUR ROOM LOOKS LIKE ITS RIGHT NEXT TO YOURS!"

"Oh, really? Well, its nice to meet you. I'm (y/n). I hardly get anyone up here. Everyone mostly lives on the lower floors. It can get pretty lonely up here, so I'm glad to get a bit of company."

"LONELY?! WELL I'M GONNA HAVE TO FIX THAT! WE'RE GONNA BE GREAT FRIENDS, JUST YOU WAIT! YOU SHOULD COME OVER FOR DINNER LATER!"

"U-uh, well, I don't know, I don't want to intrude or anything, I mean you just got here."

"NONSENSE! ITS THE NEIGHBORLY THING TO DO! PLUS, I'M GOING TO BE COOKING SPAGHETTI!"

The idea of eating spaghetti was tempting.

"Oh. Well, in that case, sure. I might stop by later."

Papyrus clapped and bounced a bit. "EXCELLENT! I CAN'T WAIT!" he grabbed my hand and shook it rather violently. "I MUST PREPARE THE KITCHEN SOON." He looked over at his brother, who seemed to be lost in thought. It was hard to tell, because he never changed expressions.

"SANS, YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN A WORD TO OUR NEW NEIGHBOR! HOW RUDE CAN YOU POSSIBLY GET?! AM I GOING TO HAVE TO START TEACHING YOU MANNERS? INTRODUCE YOURSELF!"

The short skeleton looked over at his brother, then at me.

"sorry. i'm sans. sans the skeleton." he extended his bony hand.

"Nice to meet you." I reached out and clasped it.

A loud farting sound emanated from both of our palms. 

"hehe. whoopee cushion in the hand. its always funny."

My cheeks reddened, my mouth went agape. I stood there staring into the bony mans face. He stared back. The anxiety, the self-loathing, washed away. In that moment the two of us were all that existed. The world around me turned blurry.

That was the moment I fell in love.


	2. Visit

A long pause. The two brothers stared at me. They glanced at each other, seemingly concerned at my silence and expression. I started to snicker. It built up to full on laughter. I stood there and chortled until I was red in the face. It got so bad I doubled over and clutched my belly. 

Sans patted me on the back. "wow. this is the first time someones laughed so hard at that."

"YES, THIS IS QUITE UNUSUAL FOR YOU BROTHER. MAYBE NOW YOU HAVE SOMEONE YOU CAN SHARE JOKES WITH BESIDES TORIEL."

Sans stood still. He stopped patting my back. His eyes seemed to get more intense. He had a thousand yard stare.

"SANS? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

"yeah bro."

He seemed to relax. Papyrus looked worried.

As for me, I finally began to calm down. My laughter began to wane and I started gasping for air, taking deep breaths. I stood up straight and wiped a tear from my eye, smile on my face.

"you finally done? we were starting to get worried."

"ANY LONGER AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA POP, HUMAN! YOUR FACE WAS SO RED! IT WAS LIKE A TOMATO!"

I let out a happy sigh. "I'm alright. It just caught me off guard is all. That's the first time I've ever seen that trick." I grinned at Sans. I was at ease. No stuttering, not a bit nervous. 

Sans scratched the back of his head.

"heh. if that's how you feel about such a simple trick, i'd love see your reaction to my other jokes."

"I'd love that. When should I come over?"

"WE NEED TIME TO SETTLE IN AND GET OUR THINGS IN ORDER. LATER IN THE EVENING SOUNDS LIKE THE BEST TIME."

"Thanks. I'll definitely be there."

"OH, I CAN'T WAIT! YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A GREAT TIME, I PROMISE!"

"see you soon."

Papyrus was practically jumping up and down with glee. As they entered their apartment Sans turned and waved at me. It felt like my stomach was filled with butterflies.

I needed to get ready.

I went back into my apartment and rifled through my closet. Should I dress fancy? No. Its just a visit. I'm a loser, no reason to pretend I'm anything else. I put together a casual outfit and hopped into the shower. My bathroom was clean and tidy. When you live alone, its a lot easier to keep your house clean. 

I turn the hot water on. I test it to make sure its warm. I step in. When it hits me its like pure heaven. My entire body tingles, my muscles relax. I go through the whole cleaning process. Shampoo. Soap. While I do this, I start daydreaming about one of my neighbors. Thoughts of holding hands, of sitting on the couch together fill my head.

I stand still for a moment. I realize the absurdity of what I just imagined. A skeleton? I'm crushing on a skeleton? Have I lost my mind? He doesn't have any skin. He probably isn't warm either, not very good for cuddling. But...

I couldn't get him out of my mind. No one has ever made me laugh like that. I haven't been so happy in years. And he just, its, that whoopee cushion thing was really funny okay? There's nothing wrong with liking a monster, right? I mean its not like they aren't able to consent or whatever, they're people like us so why not?

I stood there, thinking like this for so long that my hot water ran out. Needless to say I was quite surprised when my entire body suddenly felt like it had been dropped into a frozen lake.

I quickly tried to step out, but in my haste I tripped and fell flat on my face. Thank god no one was here to see this.

I got up carefully, cautious of my slippery feet. I dried off with a towel and got dressed. I made sure to turn the water off. Last thing I needed was a big water bill.

I was about to exit when I remembered that I hadn't brushed my teeth yet. And as I was brushing my teeth, I look at myself in the mirror. Nothing seemed out of order. I looked pretty decent actually, which was unusual. Often I looked messed up.

I finish with my brushing. I rinse with mouthwash for good measure, then water to get rid of the taste. I rub my tongue over my teeth. Nice and smooth. No caked on gunk. I flash a smile at the mirror. Pearly whites. Excellent. Good hygiene is important.

I leave the bathroom and crash on the couch. I feel good. Rejuvenated. I check the time. Its not even close yet. I let out a heavy sigh. I look up at the ceiling and think about Sans again. I thought about what he was actually like. Who his friends were. What life was like for him underground. Did he like books? Video games? Did they even have those things down there? And his adorable brother. What was he like?

For the first time in a while I was looking forward to real social interaction. I don't know why, but I was just completely enamored with these two after knowing them for less then a few minutes. Was I that lonely? Why wasn't I scared like I am with everyone else? Was it because they were monsters? Were monsters not as judgmental as humans? Or is it just these two specifically?

I kept questioning my motivations until I just kind of nodded off. I must have gotten too comfy. I dreamed about Sans. He was carrying me, bridal style. I felt weak. I couldn't move. I didn't know where we were. He was walking, taking me somewhere. He was still smiling. I couldn't tell what he was feeling.

I woke up. Yawning, I looked over at the clock. It was almost time! I shot up off the couch and put my shoes on. I frantically hop up and down on one foot while doing it. I pull a breath mint out of the drawer and pop it into my mouth. I try to dissolve it quickly. Didn't want to have bad breath on my first visit.

Okay. Everything seems to be in order. I breath deep. Fist, open palm. I brace myself for what might come. Don't make them angry. Don't embarrass yourself. Be careful with what you say.

I step out into the hall. I walk up to the door and lightly knock. For a minute or two there is no response. I'm about to knock again when it opens. Its Sans.

"heya."

"Hi. Where's Papyrus?"  
"in the kitchen. hes getting the spaghetti ready. you can come in and sit on the couch in the meantime."

"Cool."

I follow him inside. The place is almost identical to my own with a few minor differences. Typical, I guess.

Sans plops down on the couch. I follow suit. The movie on TV is some bad romantic comedy. I never liked romcoms. The story always ends as soon as the two get together. We only ever see the beginning of the relationship, never the rest. We don't see them fight or bicker, or struggle financially, or have children. It never shows how stressful real relationships are, and how most don't have the cheesy saccharine ending romcoms do.

It was just so unrealistic. A delusional fantasy.

"this is pretty bad."

"Yeah, seriously. I mean look at that, hes stalking her. That's so creepy. People think this is romantic?"

"oh my god, look, you can see the boom mic."

"Haha, wow! This is garbage!"

"what's with this shot? why is the camera so close to their faces?"

"They couldn't even get the cinematography right? God almighty."

"the camera won't stop shaking. why does a romcom need shaky cam? this isn't a war movie."

"Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ."

We were both in awe of how trash this movie was. It was a blast tearing it to shreds.  
The credits rolled while a horrible, horrible song played. It was the sappiest thing that I had ever heard. There was nothing else in existance that could equal it. It was called "Girl in the tower."

I broke down. I laughed maniacally listening to this madness.

Sans just shook his head.

"incredible."

I quieted down.

"Say, you seem like you know a bit about movies. Did you study them or something?"

"actually, keep this between you and me, but..." he leaned in close to whisper. My heart beat faster.

"i'm a film critic. i publish under a pseudonym."

"Wait, seriously? What name do you use?"

"J.C. Marrow."

"That's you?! I've read your reviews! The one you did on that recent video-game adaption had me dying."

"you're a fan, huh? what a coincidence. never expected i'd ever meet one."

"This is awesome. Is that how you're supporting yourselves?"

"yeah. it pays enough to get by."

"If its okay to ask, why do you use a fake name?"

"the publication i work for doesn't want people to know that they hired a monster. they're afraid of the backlash they might get."

There was an awkward silence. I averted my eyes, scratching the back of my head.

"I'm sorry. That's so damn stupid."

"its alright. i REELY prefer the anonymity."

I nodded my head. But Sans kept staring at me expectantly. I wondered why he just kept looking at me. I thought about what he said. He placed a lot of emphasis on the "real" part of really. Why did he do that? Did he mean, like, a film r-

"Oh my god are you kidding me? That was garbage."

"you're smiling."

"Yes I am." 

At that very moment Papyrus walked in.

"SANS, DINNER IS READY!"

He stopped and stared at me.

"(y/n)?! SANS! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THEY WERE HERE?!"

"sorry, we got distracted by the TV."

Papyrus put his hands on his hips and huffed.

"I SWEAR SANS, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITHOUT AN AWESOME BROTHER LIKE ME? COME IN THE KITCHEN, NEIGHBOR! THE SPAGHETTI IS READY!"

Sans got up and motioned for me to follow him.

I couldn't wait. I hadn't eaten anything all day on purpose so I wouldn't ruin my appetite.

"I can't wait. I'm starving."

I followed both of them into the kitchen. The dinner table was round, big enough for about eight or ten people to sit around.

Sans pulled a chair out for me and gestured for me to sit.

As I sat down a long, tremendous fart sound came from underneath my butt.

My face flushes red. I start giggling.

"SANS!"

"Again?"

Sans just shrugged, looking satisfied with himself.

"hey, that one was there when we got here."

"Sure it was." I pull the cushion out and squeeze it into his face. I toss it at him.

"hehe." He catches it and stuffs it into his jacket.

"I SWEAR SANS, YOU SHOULDN'T BE SO RUDE TO OUR GUEST!"

"Its fine, its fine. Lets get to eating, shall we?"

"OF COURSE."

I pick up my fork and dig in. The spaghetti is incredible. Its hard to describe. It was so smooth, and soft. It just felt so freaking good in your mouth. I practically started to inhale it.

I looked over at Sans and saw him pull out a bottle of ketchup. He drowned his plate in it. The spaghetti wasn't even visible anymore. My eyes widened at the sight.

"Uh, Sans, your plate."

"i like it like this."

"Oh. Okay."

I watch Sans eat the pile of ketchuphetti. Its bizarre, because he doesn't open his mouth. It just kind of, disappears. I look on in amazement, my cheeks tinted red. Every move he makes is hypnotic. The ketchup stains on his bony face, his lazy posture, his rudeness. His movie opinions.

There was no denying it anymore. I wanted him. I loved him.

"UM, ARE YOU OKAY, NEIGHBOR?"

I snap back into reality. I hastily go back to eating, pretending that I wasn't staring.

"O-oh, uh, yeah yeah I'm fine." Stupid. Stupid idiot.

"This spaghetti is just so good, I went into a trance." 

"IS IT REALLY THAT GOOD?" Papyrus' face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Yes, really! Its the best spaghetti I've ever had." It really was.

He sat up, his hands on his cheeks. He smiled wide and his eyes began to shine.

"I'M SO HAPPY YOU LIKE MY SPAGHETTI! I WORKED REALLY HARD ON IT. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I USED TO BE REALLY BAD AT MAKING IT. BUT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE I'VE FINALLY MASTERED COOKING SPAGHETTI!"

"You did a great job. I haven't eaten this good in years."

Hes so giddy that he starts striking poses. This guy was either insane or adorable. I'd never seen anything like it.

It was then when I realized just how surreal all of it was. These guys were never supposed to exist. They were a part of a mythological race whose story was written in scrolls and carved into stones. They were characters in a fairy tale ancient humans used to tell to themselves. 

And yet, here they were. Right in front of me. It was like having dinner with Odysseus. It was just unbelievable.

Papyrus had just finished his celebratory posing when there was a knock at the door.

"OH, SOMEONES HERE? I'LL GET IT. I WONDER WHO IT COULD BE?"

I looked over at Sans. "Was someone else supposed to come over?"

"not that I know of."

Papyrus opened the door.

"TORIEL? ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU!"


	3. Goat Mother

"Its great to see you too Papyrus." A woman's voice. I leaned in my chair to get a look.  
A very tall anthropomorphic goat was in the doorway. She embraced Papyrus in a hug. 

"WHERE IS FRISK?"

"I left them with Alphys and Undyne. They wanted to stay there for a bit."

It wasn't as shocking as seeing a walking, talking skeleton, so my reaction was more subdued.

"Sans, who's that lady?"

No response.

"Sans?"

I looked over at him. His face was turning blue. His hands were gripping the table tightly.  
I had no idea what was happening. I thought maybe all that ketchup on his spaghetti might have made him sick. 

"Sans, are you okay? You look ill."

He straightens up, surprised. The blue faded away and he went back to his usual lazy posture.

"yeah, i'm fine. that food just didn't agree with me."

"That's what I thought. I'm no nutritionist, but something tells me that eating entire bottles of ketchup isn't good for you."

That was when Papyrus walked in with the new guest. I got a better look at her. She was very tall, about two heads taller than me. Every move she made had a weight to it, implying a great deal of strength on her part. Her fur was as white as snow, brushed down flat. Not a single hair was out of place. I could only imagine what a hassle grooming was for her.

"GUYS, LOOK WHO'S HERE! ITS QUEEN TORIEL!"

"I'm hardly a queen anymore, Papyrus."

She fixed her gaze onto me. Her face contorted into a gentle smile.

"And who might you be? You didn't tell me you made a new friend."

"Oh, uh, I'm their neighbor. Papyrus invited me over for dinner. My name is (y/n)."

"A pleasure to meet you." She extends her paw. I reach out and we shake. Her hands completely dwarf mine. They're probably big enough to crush my head like a grape. 

Papyrus interjected. "I"M SORRY TORIEL, IF I HAD KNOWN YOU WERE COMING I WOULD HAVE MADE YOU A PLATE OF SPAGHETTI." 

"Oh, its quite alright. I was only stopping by because I heard you got a new place to live and wanted to check up on you." She looks around the room. "It seems nice enough."

"YES, ITS QUITE NICE! NOT AS SPACIOUS AS OUR HOUSE BACK IN THE UNDERGROUND THOUGH." Papyrus pulls a chair out. "HERE, HAVE A SEAT! WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO HAVE OUR AFTER DINNER CONVERSATION!"

"we were?"

"YES SANS! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT'S PROPER DINNER ETIQUETTE? OH WHO AM I KIDDING, OF COURSE YOU DON'T!"

"Well, okay. That sounds nice." She sits down.

"AHEM, YES, SO..."

There was a long pause. It was so silent all you could hear was Toriel's soft breathing.

"SO, UM, (y/n)!" he looks at me.

"YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN MUCH SINCE WE GOT HERE! TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STAYING AT THIS PLACE?"

All three of them looked at me expectantly.

Talking about myself has never been something I'm good at. I struggle to find the words.

Finally I speak.

"Uh, well, I moved in about four years ago. I..." I didn't want to say where I lived before.

"you've lived here for that long? must have seen a lot of neighbors come and go."

"Yeah. I never talked to anyone though."

"YOU NEVER MADE ANY FRIENDS?"

Silence. I averted my eyes.

"No. I try not be a bother to anyone."

Papyrus' features shifted into a look of pure sadness, almost like a puppy dog. Somehow, exaggerated cartoon tears flowed down his face despite having no eyes.

"THAT'S SO SAD! YOU'VE BEEN ALONE FOR SO LONG!" he pulled out a handkerchief and started wiping his face. 

Oh great. Just great. Your first visit and you made your neighbor cry. Great job, idiot!

"H-hey, don't cry! Its okay! It wasn't that bad!" 

Toriel reached out and started petting him.

"Oh Papyrus." was all she said.

Papyrus suddenly stopped crying and shot out of his chair. We both stepped back a little, startled by his sudden movement. He spoke in a serious, almost normal tone of voice.

"This cannot be allowed to continue. The thought of you huddled up in your apartment, all alone, with no one to talk to, to play with, to do anything with, it breaks my heart!"

He strikes a ridiculous dramatic pose, his gloved hands clasped over his chest.

This display is so absurd I don't know how to respond.

"You don't have to be alone anymore! I, The Great Papyrus, will make sure of it! I'll be your best of friends, (y/n)!

For a moment his antics were hard to take seriously. But he just seemed so genuine, so endearing. He actually cared. About me. Someone really cared. 

"That's... that's really nice of you Papyrus. Thank you. I wouldn't mind having a friend."

He leaped forward and grabbed both of my hands, looking me right in the face.

"FANTASTIC! I PROMISE YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!"

All I could do was smile at him. He looked around at the table.

"ACTUALLY, I BETTER CLEAN UP THESE PLATES!"

He scurries around the table gathering plates and utensils as he goes, then heads into the kitchen.

"Is he always this sweet?"

Toriel nodded, grinning. "Like you wouldn't believe."

I notice that Sans is being unusually quiet. Hes just staring at Toriel. Its like hes not even here.

"Uh, Sans?"

"oh, yeah?"

"That ketchup must have done a number on you. You seem out of it."

Toriel smirks. "I don't think you realize just how lazy Sans is. He nods off all the time."

"Is that so? I think Papyrus mentioned that."

He scratches the back of his head.

"i'm not lazy. i do a ton of work." He pauses, looking devious.

"a skele-ton."

My brain collapsed in on itself.

I broke into fits of laughter. Toriel joined me. 

"God, if you keep making me laugh like this I might die!"

Toriel was laughing so hard she started banging on the table.

"Oh, that was a good one!"

We went on like this for a few seconds more while Sans leaned back in his chair, looking pretty smug.

"this is the best crowd i've ever had."

"It seems we're all quite fond of puns."

"I think most people are, they just won't admit it."

"totally."

Toriel locked eyes with me. "So, you've been here four years? What made you want to move in?" she said, changing the subject.

I really didn't want to have to say, but I guess it would come out eventually. Sans will think I'm a loser, I'm sure. I may as well just get it over with.

"I didn't really have much of a choice."

Toriel looked slightly puzzled. "Really?"

I sheepishly avert my eyes. "Yeah. See, before I moved in here I..." I didn't want to finish the sentence.

"I, uh, lived in a homeless shelter."

Realization seemed to dawn on both of them.

"Oh."

"Yep. You see, the counselor there had me evaluated. I was deemed unfit for work. So they have me getting a disability check. Super early retirement, I guess. Since I'm just one person I don't get much though."

Here it comes. The insults. The sneers. The yelling.

"Unfit to work? Are you sick?"

Not yet I guess.

"I have arthritis. I wouldn't be able to do hard labor for very long without getting weak. Its not so bad I can't walk, but I'm still rather fragile." I didn't mention the other reason I'm not fit.

"Ah. I see. That must be difficult for you."

No reaction?

"Its not all bad I guess. You probably think I'm a loser."

"Why on earth would we think that?"

"I don't know. That's usually what most people say to me. They always scream at me to get a job, that I'm a parasite or whatever. That I'm lazy."

Toriel's expression went stern.

"The people telling you that are heartless imbeciles. They have no idea what its like. I swear, this societies cruelty gets under my fur. People shouldn't talk to you like that. You are not a loser for having arthritis."

"i agree, that's stupid. i don't know why people have that attitude."

I was stunned. I hadn't expected this reaction at all. I was relieved. I felt like I had a 50 pound dumbbell lifted off of my back. I guess I should have expected monsters to have a different perspective. 

"You really think so?"

"Of course." Sans merely nodded.

"That's..."

I don't know what happened. Water started to form in my eyes. 

Toriel and Sans looked at each other.

"uh, (y/n)?"

I was crying. The tears fell and lightly pelted the floor.

"Oh, dear, why are you crying?"

Oh god, what am I doing? I'm humiliating myself. They're probably freaked out.

"I-I, it's just, nobody has ever been this nice to me before." I manage to say this in between sobbing. Snot is starting to run down my face. Beautiful.

I briefly stop bawling when I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around me.

"Toriel..." 

"Shhhh."

I return the hug. I let go. I cry into her chest, everything black. Forgetting everything about the world. Forgetting I even exist. I just weep into the dark abyss while her warmth envelopes me.

She strokes my head the whole time, never saying a word. 

Sans sat at the table, watching. He was shaking. 

Then Papyrus walked in.

"GREETINGS EVERYONE, I FINISHED WASHING THE DISHES, BUT THEN NOTICED THE FLOOR NEEDED MOPPING SO I DID THA-"

He stares, dumbfounded.

"UM, WHATS GOING ON? WHY ARE YOU CRYING HUMAN?"

I pull my head from her chest and look over at him. The tears stop. 

"I don't know. I guess, I guess because I'm happy."

He smiled. "YOU SHOULD BE! YOU HAVE THE GREAT PAPYRUS AS A FRIEND NOW! ANYONE WOULD BE HAPPY IF THEY HAD ME AS A BUDDY!"

"Heheh. Yeah. God, I'm so sorry. We barely know each other and I've already made a scene. This is so embarrassing."

"Nonsense. This is nothing to be ashamed of, child. You've been alone for so long, its only natural to feel this way."

"yeah, this is nothing. we've seen plenty of monsters have breakdowns in our lifetime."

"You mean that?" Everyone nods.

"Thank you." I let out a yawn. 

"Looks like its getting late already. I should probably go home and get some rest. I think I've caused enough trouble for all of you."

"NOT AT ALL, NEIGHBOR! YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY STOP BY AGAIN TOMORROW!"

"Yeah, sure. Hopefully I won't have a meltdown next time."

Everyone chuckled at that.

"Actually," Toriel said, "I was planning on inviting everyone to the park tomorrow. It would be nice to have everyone get together there. Maybe you could come with us?" She says this while wiping off her dress with a handkerchief.

I thought about it. I looked over at Sans. If it meant getting to be around him more, then I had no choice.

"Sure. That sounds like a lovely time."

"Great. We'll see you tomorrow then!"

"For sure." I turn to go to the door.

"OH, WAIT HUMAN!" He dashes over to me.

"DO YOU HAVE A CELLPHONE?"

"Yeah, actually. Why?" 

"LET ME GIVE YOU MY NUMBER, THAT WAY I CAN CALL YOU WHEN WE GO!"

"Oh, sure!" I add his number to my contacts list.

"Thanks." 

"NOT A PROBLEM!"

"I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Goodbye."

"cya."

"SEE YOU TOMORROW!"

I close the door behind me. I take deep breaths. I walk over to my apartment and enter. My legs are weak and wobbly. I slip off my shoes and kick them to the side. I collapse onto the bed. I roll over onto my back and pull out the cellphone. I look at my contacts list. Papyrus's number is the only one on it. I smile as a small tear rolls down my cheek. 

Today was a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I might be overdoing it with Papyrus' cartoony behavior. I also think I made the characters meet and befriend the reader too quickly, so I'll try to remedy this in the future. Thanks for reading.


	4. Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a while to make. Mostly due to procrastination. If anybody was eagerly awaiting the next chapter, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting.

There was no moon. There were no stars. The sky was black, as if the universe simply ceased to exist. The city was bathed in shadow. The only illumination came from street lamps emitting white light. There were no insects hovering around them like usual. No signs of life anywhere. It was quiet. I stood at the bottom of a set of concrete steps. The ground was damp and shiny, as if it had rained.

I carefully climbed the stairs. Each step is slow and deliberate. At the top I find a house with the doors wide open. I walk inside. My feet make loud thumping sounds against the wooden floor.  
A man stands in front of me. He smiles and says something. I can't hear him. Another man enters the room, carrying a box. He lays it down on a table, and gestures for the other man to open it.

He carefully rips up the packaging, eyeing the box man with suspicion. Inside the package was a human rib cage made of bread. The man who opened the box wore an expression of fury. He looked at the gift giver and pulled out a knife from his pocket. He charged at the box man and stabbed him. The box man struggled, but the man with the knife grabbed his shirt and began thrusting the blade into his back. Suddenly a swarm of people emerged from the darkness to try and break up the fight.

I slowly backed away. I ran back down the stairs and into the street. I didn't stop running until I found my surroundings had changed. I was now inside of what appeared to be an underground mine of some sort. The walls were made of stone, water dripped from the ceiling. The ground was nothing but dirt. In the middle of the room was a chain. It dangled from a circular opening that had a bright light shining through. I tried to climb it, but a stream of dirty water fell from the hole and splashed onto my face. I fell down, landing on my back. 

That was when some sort of ghost appeared in the room. It was a woman. She was on fire. The flames burned, but no light shined. The phantom floated towards me. I ran away, but there was nowhere to run. I was trapped in a corner as she drew near. She sauntered up to me. The flames simmered down, vanishing. They are replaced with a brilliant blue aura. Her face no longer bears the expression of agony. It shifts into a loving grin. Despite her new angelic appearance, my entire body was screaming in terror. She cupped my cheeks in her hands and leaned in for a kiss. 

Everything disappeared. I was now in a pitch black void. Sans stood in front of me. I sprinted towards him, arms outstretched for a hug, but I could not get to him. It was like running on a treadmill. The more I ran the further away he got. I noticed that was getting shorter with every step, until I was the same size as him. I fell onto my hands and knees. I screamed, begged for him to come over, but he ignored me. I curled up into a fetal position and started crying.

I jolt awake, screaming. I gasp for breath. My entire body is drenched in sweat. I can't stop trembling. A dream hasn't made me feel like this in a long time. Rubbing my forehead, I slowly get out of bed. I hop in the shower. The warm water helps me relax. As I clean myself I close my eyes and listen to the sound of the spewing water. It wore thin pretty quick.

I get out of the shower and sit on the couch. I check my phone. No messages. It wasn't time yet I guess. In the meantime I decided to make breakfast. But what to eat? I rubbed my chin, thinking of what would be best the meal to start the morning with. The top of the refrigerator had a box of peanut butter cereal on it. A bowl of cereal. Gotta go with the classic. I pour the little round balls of wheat into the bowl, then the milk. Then I scoop it up with a spoon and jam it into my mouth.

The coldness of the milk combined with the dry roughness of the cereal made a nice combo. I started chewing, my teeth crushing them into powder that mixed with the milk and swished around everywhere. I gulped it down. So damn good. I begin devouring the food at a rapid pace, a little bit of milk dripping onto the floor. I finish eating. It was a refreshing breakfast. I felt strong, prepared for the day. I set the dishes in the sink and lay down on the couch again. I check my phone again. Still no messages. I guess they aren't ready yet. I decide to listen to some music to kill time.

This one is a hip-hop album. The beat for it is very unusual. At one point a distorted flute is sampled, but it somehow fits the song perfectly. There are about four rappers featured on the track, each with their own verse. The first one repeats the chorus after the other verses are finished.

I listen to it for a while when I hear my phone vibrate. I immediately pause the music and rip my headphones off. Its Papyrus. He says hes outside my door, and that hes ready to go. I jump off the couch and dust myself off. I check the mirror to make sure I look decent. I open the door, not ready for what was about to greet me.

Papyrus was wearing a backwards cap on his head. He had a t-shirt that said "Cool Dude" on it, and really tiny shorts that clung tightly to his bony hips. It looked like an outfit a child from the 90's would wear. He was the cutest, most adorable thing I had ever laid eyes on. I could barely contain myself at the sight of him.

"GREETINGS NEIGHBOR! HOW DO YOU LIKE MY OUTFIT? I SOMETIMES WEAR THIS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS." 

"I-I-It looks amazing on you. Your taste in clothing is marvelous."

"NYEH HEH HEH, WHY THANK YOU! I ALWAYS KNEW I HAD QUITE THE FASHION SENSE!"

Sans was there. He was dressed in the same outfit as yesterday. Good. 

"No change of clothes for you, Sans?"

"OF COURSE NOT! HES A COMPLETE LAZYBONES!"

He shrugged. "i dig hoodies."

"I can tell. So, are we ready to have some fun at the park?"

"YES, LETS GO OR ELSE WE'LL BE LATE!"

They both walk over to the elevator. The doors open and they step inside. I freeze in place.

Papyrus looked puzzled.

"UM, (y/n), AREN'T YOU COMING?" 

My heart is racing. "U-uh, y-yeah, its okay, I prefer taking the stairs. I get more exercise that way! Ha ha! I'll just meet you at the bottom!"

"OH, OKAY! THAT MAKES SENSE!" he smiled and nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer.

The elevator closed. I rushed down the stairs as fast as I could. Thank god. Thank god I didn't have to take the lift. I hated elevators. The cramped, claustrophobic space, the brief feeling of weightlessness you get when it starts to move. I always had these paranoid fears about what could happen to me. I thought of the cable breaking, sending me speeding to the bottom of the shaft where I would be smashed to a pulp. I thought of the power going out and getting stuck inside for days with no escape. 

Both of these scenarios were terrifying. So I did everything I could to stay away from elevators. To hell with them. Stairs were superior in every way.

I met up with them in the lobby and we made our way out. The city was lively. Music blared from a moving car, the bass booming loudly. People chatted on their cell phones, employees on break smoked cigarettes outside their stores, pet owners walked their dogs. There was some new graffiti art. It was of a giant monster that appeared to be made entirely of naked humans, all of them screaming with terrified faces. 

Papyrus seemed ecstatic. He was walking with such a spring in his step, you'd think he'd won the lottery. 

"Sans, is your brother always this bubbly?"

"yeah, usually. why?"

"I don't know. Its just I've never seen anyone quite as gregarious as he is."

"well, papyrus..." 

"Yeah?"

He stared at the ground as we walked.

"he sees the best in people. in life."

"Huh."

I look at Papyrus. His weird cartoon face wore the brightest expression. I smile.

We arrived at the park. The sky was blue and blinding. Blades of grass danced in the breeze. Birds glided through the cool air above us. The place was silent, seemingly devoid of human life.

"Looks like there isn't anyone here."

"THAT MEANS THERE IS MORE ROOM FOR US, THEN!"

I sat on the park bench to rest. That was quite a bit of walking. Sans took a seat beside me, crossing his legs. A butterfly hovered near us, blue wings silently flapping. Sans extended his bony finger for it to land on. The butterfly rested at the tip of it. He stared. The sun shone bright upon his face. I was completely taken in by this scene, gazing with wonder. He was beautiful. Just beautiful.

Its wings started to flutter, lifting itself into the air. It flew away, to go on adventures we would never get to see. Papyrus came up to us and pointed far into the distance.

"LOOK, LOOK! THEY'RE HERE!"

I squinted my eyes. I could see what looked like Toriel, and what appeared to be three people I didn't recognize. They looked tiny from so far away. The group slowly moved toward us. Their figures grew less blurry as they got closer. At the head of the small crowd was some blue skinned woman. She had red hair and an eye-patch. That wasn't what was odd, though.

She had a child on her shoulders, in a striped blue and purple shirt. The kid was wearing shades that seemed too big for them. It was a surreal sight. They looked like some weird version of Master Blaster.

I didn't know whether to be amused or intimidated.

There was two others I had never met. Some goat man that looked like Toriel, her husband I assumed, and a yellow dinosaur looking monster.

As they strode up toward us, the blue woman called out.

"Papyrus! How ya been you bonehead?!" She got him in a headlock and gave him a noogie while the kid just hung onto her ponytail.

"OW, NO NOOGIES PLEASE." He meekly struggled to escape.

"Ha ha!" She dropped the hold and sat the child down. Papyrus knelt down and gave the kid a hug.

"ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, FRISK!" He ruffled their hair.

"So, heard you bozos got yourselves a new pad."

"YES! ITS A NICE LITTLE PLACE. I WAS ABLE TO PERFECTLY RECREATE MY OLD ROOM."

"You still got that flame carpet?! Oh man..."

"OF COURSE! IT LOOKS EVEN BETTER SOMEHOW."

Her gaze moved to me. I flinched, avoiding eye contact.

"Who's this punk?"

"Undyne, no need to be rude." Toriel interjected. "This is their neighbor I told you about, remember?"

"Oh, so you're that weirdo that cried last night?"

"Undyne!"

"I-its okay, I did act pretty crazy yesterday. So, you're uh, Undyne?"

"Yeah, that's me. This dork here is my girlfriend, Alphys." She put her arm around the reptile girl, who meekly greeted me.

"H-hi." She said with a little wave.

"Hi."

"The big guy over here," she pointed to him, "is Asgore. He's King of the Monsters."

My jaw almost hit the floor. This was the King, the one I heard about?

"You, you're the monster King? I-Its, uh, humbling to be in your presence." I gave an awkward bow.

He laughed heartily. "Please, there is no need for that. I'm hardly a man worth bowing to."

Toriel's expression turned into a hateful scowl.

"For once I agree with you."

Everyone had nervous looks on their faces, except Asgore, who appeared heartbroken. What was the deal between these two? There was silence until Undyne spoke.

"Uh, well, finally, last but not least, this is Frisk, the monster ambassador."

Frisk looked up at me with those ridiculous shades glimmering in the sun, and gave a thumbs up.

Needless to say, I was floored. This kid was was the monster ambassador? That was something I hadn't heard. Politics sure are a circus. I thought it best not to be rude or condescending even if they were a kid.

"Well. Its a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is (y/n)."

They all greeted me at the same time, creating a brief cacophony of voices speaking my name.

"WELL, NOW THAT WE'RE HERE, I SAY WE GO PLAY AT THAT JUNGLE GYM OVER THERE!"

Undyne pumped her fists into the air with a loud yell. "Heck yeah! Lets go Frisk!" she scooped them up and took off towards the playground. Papyrus quickly followed.

I glanced at Alphys. "Your girlfriend is pretty intense."

"Its part of her charm."

The trio goofed around in every way the jungle allowed them to. Papyrus sped down the slide, while Undyne and Frisk got on the swing set. Frisk gently swayed back and forth, while Undyne stood straight up, feet resting on the seat, and swung wildly to and fro. She thrust her whole body into every swing with her hips. Eventually the swing went as high as it could, and right then Undyne leaped off, sailing through the air. Her hair and clothes fluttered against the wind. She did a sick flip on the way down, landing gracefully.

Then she ran over to the monkey bars and started doing pull-ups. She executed them with one arm, alternating between the two. Without breaking a sweat, she rocketed to the top of the bars and did a handstand, legs pointing into the air. She did push-ups this way, again switching between arms. Frisk and Papyrus marveled at the spectacle of strength, clapping with enthusiasm.

A devious glimmer shone in Undyne's eye. She swung from the bars and grappled Frisk with her legs, tossing them into the air. Thankfully, she caught the kid with her feet. Frisk laid with their back resting on Undyne's boots. The amphibious monster walked with her hands along the monkey bars with perfect balance, not letting the child slip for even a moment.

Toriel was rightfully concerned at this rather dangerous balancing act.

"Undyne, that's enough! Frisk might fall off!"

"It's okay, I've got this."

"Undyne..." Toriel said ominously.

"Oh, fine."

She got off the monkey bars and gently set Frisk down. They seemed unfazed.

That was when Undyne spotted a merry-go-round in the middle of the park. Her face lit up. She picked up Frisk and dashed over to it. 

"Oh yeah, lets do this!" She raised her arm, poised to push it despite sitting on it. It must take a lot of power to do something like that.

"WAIT FOR ME!"

Papyrus desperately leaped onto it just before Undyne gave it a heavy shove. They whirled around in a rapid blur, blasting violent gusts of air in every direction. I clung to the bench for dear life as my body limply dangled in the wind. Alphys had her arms tightly wrapped around my waist, letting loose panicked screams. It was hard to breathe. 

Toriel and Asgore were clutching a lamppost. Asgore was barely hanging from her ankle. Their fur looked like the waves of the ocean on fast forward. 

Sans had set up some sort of bone wall and was sitting behind it, safe from the cyclone.

"UNDYNE! STOP! STOP THE MERRY-GO-ROUND!" Toriel shouted.

Suddenly, the contraption ceased to spin. Undyne had stopped it merely by putting her index finger on the ground. The wind died down. The feeling of weightlessness left me and my feet greeted the earth. Alphys let go and collapsed, gasping for breath. I joined her.

The three of them stumbled off of the merry-go-round, barely able to walk. Papyrus clutched his head, visibly woozy.

"EVERYTHING IS SPINNING! UNDYNE, I THINK YOU PUSHED IT SO HARD YOU MADE THE ENTIRE PLANET ROTATE!"

"Ha ha! Not even I'm that strong, Pap. Man that was awesome!"

Frisk looked like they were about to hurl. They laid flat on their back and stared up at the sky.

Toriel stood up, panting, doubled over with her hands on her knees. She was glaring daggers at Undyne.

"Undyne, what in the world was that? Someone could have gotten hurt!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Undyne looked around and witnessed the result of her playground induced hurricane, and noticed Alphys on the ground. She hurried over to her lovers side, obviously worried.

"Are you okay, Alphys?"

She adjusted her glasses. "Y-yeah, I'm okay. Just a little disoriented. Next time, pay attention to how much force you use, okay?"

Undyne scratched the back of her head, looking guilty.

"I'm sorry babe. Guess I didn't know my own strength for a minute." She helped her girlfriend up and gave her a hug.

Toriel breathed a heavy sigh, rubbing her forehead. "I swear, you are the wildest woman I have ever seen."

I sat up and stumbled towards the bench. My whole body aches."Now I know what its like to be in a tornado." 

Toriel grinned. "You and me both, dear."

Asgore got up and dusted himself off. "Have we had enough excitement for one evening?"

"i know i have. i vote we hit a restaurant."

My belly rumbled at the mention of food.

"I agree. I'm famished."

"i know a nice burger joint. you guys wanna go?"

Undyne grinned, bearing pointy teeth. "Sounds good to me."

The rest of the group all voiced their agreement. We left the park and journeyed through the city streets. We chatted among ourselves. Undyne bragged to Alphys about how she once suplexed two boulders at the same time. Papyrus had some conversation with Asgore about tea. Frisk remained silent. Sans asked Toriel a question.

"hey tori."

"Yes, Sans?"

"what do you call a tired programmer?"

She smirked. "I don't know, what?"

"keybored."

"Pfffthahaha." she giggled like a mad woman, putting a paw over her mouth to stifle the laughter.

I chortled until it hurt. This guy. I love this guy. Once the giggling subsided, a light bulb turned on above my head.

"Hey. I've got one."

"oh? lets hear it."

I cleared my throat and gulped.

"What does a blind fish in the ocean say?"

They listened with anticipation.

"I can't sea!"

For a moment all I received was blank stares. Then Toriel broke into yet another laughing fit, while Sans only chuckled. I beamed with pride at my pun skills. 

"very impressive."

"Oh, dear, that was a good one!" Toriel said, wiping a tear from her eye.

However, Undyne gave me a piercing glare. A chill went through me. I'm wasn't sure why she was acting that way until I put two and two together.

"O-oh gosh, I'm s-sorry Undyne, I don't know what I was saying." I sputtered out, a nervous wreck. I was convinced she was gonna beat me up.

Her shoulders relaxed and she shot me a toothy grin. She punched my shoulder and laughed.  
"Honestly, it was pretty funny. You don't have to apologize."

I rub the sore spot she left and sighed, relieved.  
"Still, it was pretty insensitive of me."

She shrugged. "Its no big deal."

Sans stopped walking and pointed ahead. "hey, there's the place."

Everyone stopped in their tracks. They all spoke in unison.

"Grillby's?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Chapter 3 is the worst one I've written. I didn't like the pacing of it, and some of the prose is kind of wonky or sounds awkward to me. It was rushed, I feel. I'll try to do better in the future. Thank you for reading.


	5. Burgers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am terribly sorry this took so long. A ton on of things happened to keep me from working on the chapter. Thank you for waiting patiently. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you.

"SANS, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HATE THIS PLACE!"

"aw come on bro, its gotten a lot better. ever since grillby moved to surface business has been booming. he really renovated the place."

Papyrus eyed the unassuming restaurant with suspicion.

"give it a chance. please? everyone's hungry anyway."

"Yeah, bonehead! My girl and I are starvin."

He sighed, defeated. "OH FINE, LETS EAT!

Sans gently pushed the door open, and our large group went inside.

The place had a pleasant aroma. Some smooth jazz was playing on the jukebox, which had a bright pink neon sign that read "Grillby's" hanging above it. There was a small blue cocktail glass right under the Y. There seemed to be a whole assortment of activities to participate in. A couple of monsters sat at a table playing cards, occasionally taking a sip from a drink or a bite from a burger. Others preferred a game of pool. You would occasionally hear billiard balls bouncing off of each other and rolling into the pockets.

Still others would rather play electronic games over anything analog. A group of monsters huddled around various arcade machines. You couldn't see how well any of them were doing, only the melodies of chiptune music and the sound of bleeps and bloops told you whether they were winning or losing.

Toriel's eyes went wide in wonder. 

"My goodness! It is quite larger than I remember. You weren't kidding when you said he renovated."

"not only that, but the menu has been expanded as well."

Sans slowly leaned into his brothers ear, and whispered.

"they have spaghetti now."

Paps cartoon eye sockets widened.

"S-SPAGHETTI? HMPH! I'LL HAVE TO TRY IT AND JUDGE ITS QUALITY. I BET IT TASTES LIKE GREASE COVERED GARBAGE!"

"whatever you say bro. what do the rest of you guys want? i'll take your orders to big g while you find yourselves a seat."

Alphys spoke up. 

"Um, Sans, there are a bunch of us here. It would be a hassle to remember every order. Wouldn't it be easier to write them all down or something?"

"nah. i'll remember."

"O-oh, well, in that case I'll just have a plain old burger."

"gotcha. how bout you (y/n)?"

I hadn't eaten at a restaurant in a while. Anything sounded appealing. But, burgers. I hadn't had a good burger in a long, long time.

"Three medium sized burgers. With fries."

Everyone seemed rather surprised.

"Oh, that is, uh, quite a bit isn't it? Are you sure you want that much dear?"

There was obvious concern in Toriel's voice. 

I felt embarrassed. I must seem pretty greedy to ask for that much.

"S-sorry. I just worked up quite an appetite. If its too much just make it one large burger."

"Well dear, if you really want three burgers we can get them, I just don't want you getting nauseous or anything."

"No no, its fine. Just make it one."

"alright, one burger for our neighbor."

Sans got everyone's orders and went over to the bar, where a man made entirely of flames stood polishing a drinking glass. I assumed he was the proprietor the business was named after.

While he was busy, Undyne, Alphys, Asgore and Papyrus took a booth behind Toriel, Frisk and myself. There wasn't enough room for everyone at one table. Toriel and I made small talk.

She gave me a little smile. 

"So..."

An awkward silence. I fidgeted in my seat. I tried to think of something to say.

"So uh, what do you do for a living?" I manage to get out.

Her face lit up. "Oh, I'm a teacher."

"Really? That's neat. I should have guessed. You have that sort of aura about you."

She raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Oh? Was that meant to be a sly comment about my age?"

"Wha-no! N-not at all! I w-was just saying, uh, you seem very, er, authoritative, and, uh, wise?"

The goat teacher giggled.

"Ha ha! I was only playing with you, dear. I know how I look.

"O-oh. Ahem, of course, I knew that."

"Sure you did."

"Well then, how is it? Do you teach a particular subject?"

"Its lovely! Its not without its struggles, of course, but you have no idea how wonderful it is to teach children about the world. I taught them about snail biology the other day."

"Ah yes, learning about the squishy insides of insects must have been fun."

"Snails aren't actually insects. They are mollusks, which is a group comprised of animals like octopuses, snails, sea slugs, and clams."

"Oh. Well. I stand corrected then. Sounds like I need to start taking your class."

She chuckled. "I think you're a bit too old to be in my classroom, dear."

A bulb went off above my head. I wore a smug grin.

"What a shame. Clearly I need better tutelage. You could say I need a tuTORIEL!"

For a brief moment there was a stupefied look on her face, and then she exploded into laughter. Frisk buried their face into their hands.

"Ha ha ha! Wonderful, wonderful!" She banged her large paw on the table.

The restaurants other patrons looked on in confusion, before going back to whatever they were doing.

She wiped a tear from her eye, calming down.

"That was good."

"Thanks. I'm pretty proud of that one."

Frisks expression said that they obviously disagreed about the puns quality.

"hey everybody. foods here."

Undyne excitedly licked her lips, pointy teeth showing.

"Finally! Took ya long enough!"

"hey now, it was a lotta food."

He gently set the plates onto their table. Including a plate of spaghetti for Papyrus, who was looking at it like it was a ticking bomb.

He poked and moved it around with his fork. He lifted it up to his eye socket, inspecting it for, uh, something.

"come on bro. have a bite."

He hesitantly inched the spaghetti closer and closer to his mouth, until at last he chomped on it.

Sans looked at his brother, waiting for a reaction.

"well, how is it?"

"Its..."

"yes?"

"Its..."

"its what?"

"ITS!"

"its what?!"

"Its okay."

There was a long silence.

"well. good. told you it wasn't so bad."

Sans moved over to our table and set our food down. He placed my burger in front me. I was dying to rip into it. I picked it up. The bread felt soft and thick in my hands. I brought it up to my face and took a bite, and then I was in heaven.

"Thank you for getting everyone's food, Sans. That was very nice of you." Toriel said as she dug into her meal.

He took a seat beside me, his cheeks tinted a light blue.

"it was no big deal."

The smile on Toriel's face vanished.

"Oh, (y/n), what's wrong?"

I was crying.

"This is the greatest burger I have ever had. Grillby's burger has made me shed tears of unbridled joy. I have tasted divinity today."

"that is a bit dramatic."

"Silence, heathen." 

"Oh. Well then, enjoy your meal." Toriel said while returning to her own dish. 

I did as she told me, slowly devouring the burger, savoring every moment. I took as much time as I could with it. Until, finally, I was finished. I capped off dinner by washing it down with a nice cold glass of Sprite. I sunk into my chair and released a contented sigh.

"I should come here more often."

"go for it. i'm sure grillby wouldn't mind a new regular."

Frisk tugged on Toriel's clothes.

"Hm? What is it dear?"

They pointed at the arcade machines.

"You want to play a bit? Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt." She pulled out a handful of coins and gave them to Frisk.

"Be careful and have fun."

The child trotted with glee over to the machines and immediately began playing. The monsters gathered around and watched Frisk dominate Galaga effortlessly. 

"This kid is magical!" One monster shouted.

The small crowd lost it when Frisk beat the highscore that had been set by another monster.

"Oh my god!"

"They broke the record!"

Frisk's score continued to climb higher, as they did things that were practically superhuman. Well, as superhuman as you can get while playing a video game. It was impossible for someone to be that good. Especially someone so young.

"How in the world can someone be that good at Galaga?"

"frisk's ability at video games has always been supernatural. i don't quite understand it myself."

Frisk returned to the booth only a few minutes later, having conquered the game in record time. They sat down, looking smug.

"Have fun, dear?" Toriel gently ruffled Frisks hair.

They nodded enthusiastically.

"Glad to hear it, cause its getting rather late. We'll have to leave soon."

I yawned. "Yeah, I'm getting pretty sleepy."

"i agree. hey guys, you finish eating over there?"

He got a loud burp from Undyne in response.

"Yeah bone boy. We're ready to head home."

"alright then. don't worry about the mess, big g will take care of it."

Everyone gets up and we exit the restaurant. The moon is full. The streets are silent and empty.

Undyne put her arm around Alphys, leaned in a gave her a peck on the cheek. Alphys giggled.

"Well, I guess this is where we split. Alphys has got a bunch of nerd stuff shes gotta work on. We should do this again soon."

"Yes, I agree. I have school to teach tomorrow and should get some rest."

I looked up at the night sky. A plane silently flew above us. That was a lot of fun. I haven't felt this good in years.

"I really loved going out with all of you tonight. I, I really appreciate it. Thank you for having me."

Toriel smiled brightly. "You are quite welcome dear. I'd be more than glad to have you come again next time."

"Can't wait."

"Oh, wait a moment, (y/n). We should exchange numbers. So I can call you whenever we go out again."

"Good idea." 

We gave each other our numbers. I now had a second contact on my phone.

Sans looked on, standing perfectly still.

"Thanks. I guess I'm gonna head on home with the skeleton brothers. You all be safe!"

"We sure will."

I waved goodbye, and the group split. The three of us walked for a while, until Sans spoke.

"so what do you think of toriel?"

I wasn't expecting a question like that. And the way he was looking at me sent chills down my spine. It took me a minute to formulate a coherent answer.

"S-she, she's a wonderful lady, from what I can tell. Seems like she'd go out of her way to help anyone. An unbelievably nice woman."

"wow. you've only known tori for what, a day? and you already have such a high opinion of her."

This was getting weird.

"W-well, yeah. She made a hell of a first impression, in case you don't remember. She was really kind to me."

He said nothing for a minute.

"yeah, i suppose you're right." I don't why, but he seemed to relax.

There was an uncomfortable stillness as we strode along the sidewalk. The city appeared to be dead. I struggled to find a conversation topic. There had to be something I could say to this beautiful pun skeleton. We hardly spoke at all while we were out. Finally something came to me.

"Hey Sans. I just wanted to say, thank you for bringing me with you guys. and especially thank you for introducing me to Grillby's. I had no idea burgers could taste that good."

"hey, you're welcome. it was the neighborly thing to do."

"UGH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT (Y/N). I PERSONALLY FOUND THE SPAGHETTI TO BE TOTALLY AVERAGE AT BEST. I DOUBT HIS BURGERS ARE ANY BETTER." Papyrus suddenly interjected.

"Oh shush! Don't knock it until you try it!"

"WHATEVER."

"Ahem, anyway. Thanks. Thanks a lot. To both of you. You probably already knew this from yesterday, but, before you guys got here I, uh, wasn't exactly doing all that well. You really made me feel better today."

"AW, SEE NEIGHBOR? I TOLD YOU WOULDN'T REGRET BEING OUR FRIEND!"

Sans put his hand on my shoulder, and looked right at me. His eyes were different than usual. They were softer, gentler. For the first time his perpetual smile seemed genuine rather than involuntary. I went red in the face. To have those eyes looking at me like that was all I needed in this world. 

He simply said, "i'm glad we could help you."

I stood in stunned silence.

"you okay? you look sick." he felt my forehead with his hand. "you're pretty hot."

Somehow I went even redder. "I-I, what?!"

"i mean your temperature is high. you sure you didn't catch something back at grillby's?"

"O-oh. No no no, I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't know what came over me."

"if you say so. ah, looks like we're here."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm exhausted. I'm gonna head up and go straight to sleep. Goodnight you guys. See ya tomorrow!"

"SLEEP WELL NEIGHBOR!"

I waved goodbye as the brothers got into the elevator. I stumbled up the staircase to my apartment. I went inside and proceeded to brush my teeth and collapse onto the bed. I was out cold before my head even hit the pillow. I dreamed that it was my birthday and that I had received a new video game console as a gift. I was very happy until I awoke to the sound of my phone ringing.

I groan, deeply annoyed. I look and see that it's Toriel calling. I immediately answer.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this (y/n?)

"Yes, its me. What is it Toriel?"

"I'm sorry, I know that this is going to seem sudden, but would you be able to babysit Frisk for me?"


	6. Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet again, sorry for the delay. I'm getting a bit too slow with chapter updates. I'll try to be faster.

It took me a moment to process her question.

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Y-yes, yes, sorry. Its just, this is really sudden. Why do you need me to take care of Frisk? Is everyone else busy?"

"I'm terribly sorry, (y/n). It seems Frisk came down with a cold. They must have caught it when they went to Grillby's. And yes, it appears everyone is currently occupied. Undyne is helping Alphys work on some project of hers, while Sans and Papyrus are currently with Mettaton. You seem to be the only one available."

"What about Asgore?"

There was an icy silence on the other side of the phone.

"I don't think hes capable of taking care of a child."

"Oh. I see. Well, uh, I suppose I could. I actually have experience with kids believe it or not."

"Really? That's great! Do you need any time to get ready?"

"I should be ready in ten minutes."

"I'll be there in a few then. Thank you very much! You have no idea how stressed I was."

"Its no trouble at all."

"Great. See you soon!" She hung up.

I fell back onto the bed and rubbed my temples, breathing a heavy sigh. I hopped up and went through my daily routine. When I was finished I went outside and stood on the sidewalk and waited. It was abnormally hot. The sun was bearing down on my face. If I stood out here long enough I'd get a sunburn.

Luckily I saw a car in the distance. It was a silver four-door. It was smooth and shiny. I could see Toriels face though the window. She pulled up next to me, waving and smiling. I returned the gesture and got into the passenger seat.

The inside of the car was very clean. The air freshener dangling from the rear-view mirror filled it with the lovely scent of cinnamon. The seats were soft and cushiony. They even had arm rests. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting. There is so much traffic today! I've never seen the city this busy."

"Its fine."

The drive was quiet for a while. Occasionally you would hear the roaring of another cars engine as it drove past us. I looked out the window and saw blurred images of store fronts and walking pedestrians. The air conditioner quietly hummed and blew cool air against my face, counteracting the humid heat.

Toriel then had a sudden look of realization on her face.

"Oh, are you feeling well? I just realized you could have caught something as well. Humans seem to have different immune systems from monsters. "

"I'm feeling fine. I haven't come down with anything in a long time actually."

"That's good."

"Yeah. Last time I got sick wasn't pretty though."

"What did you have?"

"Stomach virus, I think."

"That must have been dreadful."

"It definitely was."

Kids were shooting each other with water guns on the sidewalk. They saw us and began spraying the car as we drove by, water splashing onto the windows.

Toriel, looking slightly annoyed, turned on the windshield wipers. They swung back and forth like a grandfather clock, quickly brushing the liquid off.

"Free car wash."

She smirked.

I got to thinking about what I was gonna be doing for the next few hours. Taking care of kids isn't as hard as it seems. Or maybe that's just the experience talking. But Frisk wasn't exactly a normal kid. They were an important political figure. One that bridged the gap between humans and monsters. Frisk symbolized unity between the two.

When I realized this I got a lot more nervous about babysitting. It made me wonder why Toriel should have to depend on a loser like me for such an important job. Why wouldn't the school just let her have the day off? I decided to ask this.

"Toriel, if its okay to ask, why won't the school let you have the day off?"

"Because they're assholes."

I stared in stunned silence, my mind ceasing to exist. It is replaced only by unrestrained laughter, my initial nervousness vanishing.

"T-t-t-Toriel?! Oh my God!"

"What, you don't think I swear sometimes?"

"No! Its just so unexpected! You just, you just don't look the type."

"Looks can be deceiving." She winked.

It took me a minute to regain my composure.

"Easy lesson to forget."

"Indeed. Looks like we're here."

She parked in front of the house and turned the car off. We walked onto the porch and she pulled out the house key.

"This place looks real nice, especially compared to the other houses here."

"Thank you. I worked on it myself."

She turned the key and opened the door. It was cool and refreshing inside. I took my shoes off, not wanting to dirty her unnaturally clean floor.

"Come with me dear." She gestures near the stairs.

I follow her up. She leads me into the kids room. Frisk is laying in bed with only their head exposed, a white sheet covering the rest of their body. Their face is tinted red and a dribble of snot drips from their nose. They were watching cartoons on the TV. Sounds of slapstick violence emanated from its speakers.

Toriel smiles brightly, and speaks in a gentle and nurturing tone of voice.

"Hello dear. Remember y/n from last night? They're going to be taking care of you until l I get off of work. I want you to be nice and behave alright? If you need anything, feel free to ask them." 

She says this while wiping Frisks nose with a tissue. The child nods.

Toriel leans in and kisses them on the forehead and whispers "I love you."

"Love you too." Frisk utters in a weak, squeaky voice. It was the first I'd heard them speak. It was cute.

Toriel then turns her attention to me.

"Now. See that medicine on the table there?" She points at it. Its some plastic container with purple liquid inside it. "Frisk needs to take it twice a day until they are better. They've taken it once already, but you'll need to give them the second dose before I'm home. Make sure they take it okay?"

"I definitely will."

"Good. If they get hungry there is some soup in the kitchen cabinets. I must go while I still have time. Thank you for helping us, it means a lot." 

"Oh, its no big de-" I'm enveloped in a hug mid-sentence. A big furry one.

I return the hug after a moment of bewildered surprise. While my head was against her chest, I could hear her heart beat. It was loud and slow. I could fall asleep to its rhythmic thumping.

She lets go and gives me a sweet smile. I had a tiny blush on my face.

"If anything happens, call me. I'll be here as fast as I can, traffic be damned."

"Will do. Don't get too stressed out teaching, okay?"

"I'll do my best. Goodbye!"

"See ya."

She leaves the room. After a few minutes I hear the car rev up and drive away, the sound of the engine slowly fading into the distance. I contemplated my next course of action. I need to be on my best behavior. A single mistake could be disastrous. This is an important political figure. If anything happens to this kid on my watch I could be in deep, deep trouble.

I then turned to Frisk, mustering the best smile I could.

"So. Looks like its just gonna be you and me for the next few hours. If you need anything, I mean anything, just ask. Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

They shook their head.

"Alright then. I'll take a seat right here." I sit in a chair next to the bed. The cartoon on the screen is about a squirrel trying to crack a coconut he thinks is an acorn. He throws it down the stairs, runs it over with a truck, hits it with a jackhammer, but it refuses to give way.

He gets fed up and pushes it to the top of the Empire State building, and knocks it off. It plummets to the street and collides with the pavement. A crack starts to form, and finally the shell falls off, only for the squirrel to discover yet another coconut shell inside.

Instead of being amused, Frisk had a rather despondent expression. I guess they felt bad for the squirrel.

When the commercial break started I noticed a game console sitting underneath the television. A PS2. A small shelf next to the TV was stocked with various games. I really wanted to play, but I didn't know how to ask for permission in a way that wasn't awkward. Frisk would probably rather watch cartoons than me play a game. I'd rather not irritate the Ambassador.

Child Ambassador Frisk. It seemed impossible. Like something out of a cartoon. It made me curious. I wanted to ask them what it was like being so young and yet being such a high-ranking figure, but I felt so nervous. They don't exactly seem to be in ripe condition for conversation. I fidgeted in my seat and twiddled my thumbs, trying to figure out what to do.

I decided that asking them something was better than sitting here in this uncomfortable silence any longer. And hey, whats the worst that could happen, right?

"S-so, uh, Frisk. If its okay to ask, whats it like being an Ambassador? I mean, I'm sure you've been asked this a lot, but seeing someone so young being such a big part of human/monster relations isn't something you see every day."

They cleared their throat.

"Oh? Well. Its cool I guess. Monsters love me. A bunch of humans do too. But a lot of humans hate my guts. You should see the stuff they post about me online. I know one conspiracy theory on there says that I'm not even human, I'm a shape-shifting monster that's trying to infiltrate and destroy human society and culture. Some of them even call for my assassination." 

Their voice was nasally and slightly raspy.

I was disgusted.

"Jesus Christ are you kidding?! That's insane!"

"Well, it only seems insane to you because things like that don't really happen often here. Every high profile politician gets death threats. In a lot of countries, assassinations happen all the time. Coups happen all the time. But here, it's not that frequent. As a matter of fact, a lot of nasty assassinations and coups have been orchestrated by the US. Recently too. The one in Honduras being an example. That one was pretty bad. The US supported a fascist group that murders human rights activists."

I could only stare in bewilderment. They didn't sound like a child at all. 

"H-how exactly do you know these things? You seem unreasonably calm about people wanting you dead. And unreasonably informed for someone your age."

They smirked. "I read stuff in my spare time. And, well, lets just say I'm used to the danger."

"Hey now, I read too. But when I was at your age I wasn't anywhere near this coherent."

"I guess I'm one of those "prodigies" everyone talks about."

"I believe it."

This was bizarre. I was having an actual conversation with this kid as if they were all grown up. This casual banter made me feel more relaxed than before.

"So, um, I noticed you have a PS2 over there. Is it okay If I turn it on and play it for bit? Its okay if you want to keep watching cartoons."

"Sure. But only if I can play with you."

"Oh, are you sure? I don't think you should be playing when you're sick."

"Its fine. The controllers can reach all the way over here. I don't have to move a muscle."

"Hm. Well, okay. I guess it can't hurt."

I go over to the TV and set the console up. I perused the shelf for a game to play. 

"What do you want to play?"

"Street Fighter 3."

"I used to play that one a lot. I like to think I'm pretty good at it."

"I'll be the judge of that."

"Wow. You seem pretty confident."

"And for good reason."

"We'll see how confident you are in a minute, kid."

I put the disc in and give Frisk a controller. I took a seat beside them as the game booted up and the menu music kicked in. We looked at each other, smug grins adorning both of our faces.

We went to the character select screen. I picked Ryu, they picked Ken. We chose a random stage.

The match began. I managed to win both rounds, but only barely. I stick my tongue out at Frisk, feeling good about my win. Frisk pouted until they gave a devious smirk.

The match began. Frisk absolutely thrashed me. They won both rounds without getting hit once. I felt like I couldn't do anything for the entire fight. I got double perfected by a child.

Frisk stuck their tongue out at me. I went red, embarrassed. I must have been really rusty. Its one thing to not win a single round, but not to land a single hit?

They put the controller down and rubbed their belly, looking as pompous as ever.

"Looks like whupping your butt made me pretty hungry. Why don't you go get me some soup since you lost so badly?"

I grumbled my way to the kitchen, defeated. I cooked some soup in the microwave and brought it back. Frisk ate it with delight.

"Good at politics and video games. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Yes. Lose."

"Sure you don't."

They handed me back an empty bowl.

"That was quick. You shouldn't eat so fast."

"I'll be fine."

"If you say so."

I took the bowl to the kitchen sink and washed it. Best way to keep the dishes from piling up.

I returned to their room and found Frisk playing against the games AI. They parried everything. They beat the game in a matter of minutes, without getting hit a single time.

"How in the world do you do that?"

"Practice."

I sat in the chair and watched in wonder as Frisk beat the game with every character, not taking one iota of damage. Sans was right. This kid was supernatural.

"I want to play a different game. Put in that one."

I did so. We did this for a while. Frisk would dominate a game, get bored and then tell me to put in another. They were good at every genre imaginable. Time flew by, until I remembered something important.

"Oh! I totally forgot, I need to give you that medicine."

"Ugh."

"Come on now, don't complain. I know this stuff tastes awful but it'll make you feel better."

The bottle came with a plastic cup. I poured the purple stuff into it and gave it to Frisk, who quickly chugged it. They gagged.

"See? Not that bad."

"I don't know. It was pretty bad."

Frisk picked the controller back up and proceeded to play again. This kid was more mature than they had any right to be. It made me wonder why Toriel would even need me to babysit when they seemed perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. I guess it was just good old motherly paranoia.

They yawned. "I'm kinda bored now. Could you switch it back to cartoons, please?"

"Sure." When I did, I heard the sound of an engine in the distance, getting louder with each passing second.

"Looks like Toriel is home already. Time really flies, huh?"

"Wow, really? I didn't notice. Video games can do that I guess."

I heard the sound of a car door shut. Soon Toriel made her way up the stairs. She knocked politely before entering.

"You can come in."

She stepped inside, breathing a deep sigh. 

"My goodness, what a day. Kids were very unruly. I trust Frisk behaved well?"

"Oh yes, they weren't any trouble at all. We had a lot of fun, actually."

"That's great. Before I take you home, can I take a break for a moment? I'd like to get a moments rest before I get on the road again."

"Of course! Take whatever time you need."

Frisks tiny voice spoke up.

"Actually, (y/n), if its okay with you, I wanted to ask if you would like to spend the night here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bit iffy on this chapter. I don't know, something about it just doesn't sit right with me. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it.


	7. Lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry AGAIN for the long delay. I guess you guys that are still reading are used to it though. Thanks for sticking with this story for so long, and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

Toriel and I glanced at each other.

"Oh Frisk, I'm sure (y/n) is tired and would like to go home."

Frisk reached over and grabbed a tissue to blow their nose. They crumpled it up and tossed it into the trash. They looked at me in inquisitively.

"Do you want to go home?"

I imagined myself at home, alone again. Sitting in a chair listening to music with no one to share it with. Laying in bed in complete silence, staring at the ceiling. Waking up in complete silence, staring at the ceiling.

For the first time in my life I didn't want to go back to that. I wanted to be around people again. Well, at least these specific people. I felt good when I was with them. It was something I hadn't experienced in a long time.

"I, well, I suppose I don't really have anything better to do. I wouldn't mind. But only if its okay with you, Toriel."

"Of course it is! I'm sure it'll be a lot fun to have you over."

"I hope so. But Frisk, why do you want me to spend the night, if I may ask?"

"I think you're cool."

"O-oh, well, thanks." 

"Hey, don't thank me."

My stomach rumbled loudly.

Toriel smiled.

"Someones hungry!"

I scratch the back of my head. 

"Ah yes, I haven't eaten in a while."

"Well, how about I cook you something? Would you like a pie?"

"I'd kill for a pie."

"Excellent. Do you like cinnamon?"

"I love it more than you know."

"Then I'll get started right away! You can come along if you want."

"Sure, why not?"

I follow her to the kitchen and take a seat at the table. She pulls out a myriad of ingredients, dishes, and utensils. I sit and watch her arrange and combine them with deft movements. She evidently had years of cooking experience. The lovely scent of warm cinnamon began to fill the room.  
Before I knew it, the pie was finished. She carved out three pieces. We went upstairs to hand Frisk their slice, but found them sound asleep, drool running down their chin.

Toriel smiled softly and set the pie down next to them. She wiped the spit off with a napkin and tucked them into bed. She spoke in a whisper.

"Poor thing has been napping a lot more since they came down with this sickness. I really hope they get better soon." 

She switched off the television and turned out the lights. We head back to the kitchen and sat at the table. I took a bite of my pie and my mouth exploded with flavor. 

"Mmmm this is sooo good!"

"Its just basic cooking."

"Don't be so modest. This is the best pie I've ever had!"

"Oh, I doubt it."

She takes a bite of her pie.

"It tastes pretty normal to me."

"You must have very high standards."

"I suppose that's what happens when you've been cooking as long as I have."

I finish eating my slice. "That was great. Can I have another piece?"

"Go right ahead dear."

I take the knife and cut out another triangular slice. We both sat in relative silence for a while, eating pie, until our hunger was sated.

"You know, I've realized something. Before I met you guys all I ate was cheap store brand junk. Now, I've eaten some of the best food ever. So thank you for this pie. "

"You're very welcome. I'm always happy to cook for a friend."

Another silence set in. We awkwardly avoided eye contact. I casually tapped my finger on the table.

"So uh, what do you usually do to pass the time around here?"

She seemed to perk up.

"Well, I usually just sit on the couch and read. Sometimes I'll watch some nature documentaries on television. Oh, and I have a record player. I'll listen to music sometimes when I read."

"Wonderful. How familiar are you with human literature and music?"

"A little bit. We only got bits and pieces in the underground from discarded trash that would tumble in from above. I don't mean any offense, but some of your kinds literary tastes are, er, unusual."

"Unusual? How do you mean?"

"U-umm, well, a lot of it seems to be rather, er, obsessed with acts of a more, ahem, "adult" nature, if you catch my meaning."

My face went crimson.

"I-I can assure you that not all of it is like that. The market is just flooded with a lot smutty junk, so its understandable that a lot of people would throw it away. Most people don't just discard quality books, you know."

"Oh, really? Well, that's good! Maybe I should go shopping at a bookstore around here and look for something that isn't perverted."

"Absolutely! Actually, I have some spare books I could give you, good ones. Just to get you started."

"You don't have to do that. You should keep them."

"No, not at all! I have double and even triple copies of some books, I can totally afford to give some away. Its the least I can do after how good you've been to me."

"Oh dear, you don't have to repay me for anything. But, if that's really the case, then I definitely wouldn't mind some new books to put on the shelf!"

"When you take me home I can totally put them in a box or something for you."

"That would be lovely. Thank you, (y/n)."

"You're very welcome. Now, do you want to go over and watch T.V., or what?"

"Sure!"  
We wander over to the couch and sit down. She grabs the remote and flicks the television on. 

A loud, deafening screech exploded throughout the house. Heavy metal music blared, the sound of guitar shredding boomed loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

Toriel quickly turned the volume down and changed it to the animal channel.

"Eh, ha ha, silly Frisk, leaving the channel on that satellite radio station. I-I absolutely do not listen to such crude music, nope, not at all! H-ha ha!" she nervously uttered.

"No, of course not. Doesn't fit you at all!"

"Exactly. Ahem. Oh look, they are talking about gray wolves defending their territories."

A devilish thought entered my mind.

"So you could say they are very, terriTORIEL?"

Her expression went blank, then she burst with joyous laughter.

She started slapping her knee.

"That was so good!"

I leaned back into the couch, hands behind my head, feeling very satisfied with my pun.

Her chortling subsided, and wiping a tear from her eye she resumed watching the documentary about wolves.

Then, what sounded like pebbles began to pelt the roof of the house. We looked outside and saw that it was raining. Water poured forth from the black and gargantuan sky, mercilessly drenching everything beneath it.

Toriel spoke, worry evident in her voice. "Oh my, if this keeps up they might have to call off school tomorrow."

"Hopefully it doesn't get too bad."

The storm started to interfere with the satellite signal. The screen would freeze or get distorted every once in a while.

"Oh come on!"

"How irritating."

I breathed a sigh of annoyance.

"So what do you want to do now?"

She rubbed her chin in contemplation. An idea seemed to form.

"How about some music from the Underground? Have you ever heard any before?"

"No, actually."

"Then I'll put some on for you."

She perused the shelf of records for an album to play.

"Ah, here is one that seems appropriate."

She pulled the vinyl out of its sleeve and placed it onto the record player, then turned it on. She pulled the needle down on it. It made the standard scratching sound before the music sprang to life.

It was soft and ambient. It almost sounded like an old music box. I closed my eyes and lost myself in it. I imagined myself in a wet, damp cave, with drops of water dripping from the ceiling onto my head. I reminisced about my past. The people I used to know. The places I'd likely never visit again.

"(y/n)? Are you alright?"

I open my eyes and see a blurred image of Toriels concerned face looking back at me. I wipe my eyes. I was crying.

"Oh god, I'm sorry. This song is just bringing back memories. Its really beautiful. This is the second time I've cried in front of you. I don't know why I'm so prone to tears."

"You're just a sensitive person. That's okay." She placed her hand on my shoulder.

"I guess I am. But its kind of embarrassing."

"Its nothing to be ashamed of. We all get sentimental sometimes."

A loud, tremendous boom came from outside. It made us both jump. It was only thunder.

We sat frozen for a minute, before we both looked at each other and laughed.

The two of us listened to the music together as the storm raged outside. It was a unique experience. Monster music was very, very good. I hoped maybe I could introduce her to some good human music sometime, but that would have to wait until later.

The album ended. 

"Toriel, that was amazing. Your kind have very talented musicians."

"Thank you. You humans do as well."

She got up and put the vinyl back into its sleeve. 

"Maybe I can share some music with you too sometime."

"That would be nice."

We watched the television for a while, hoping that it would sort itself out and stop stuttering. It didn't. Toriel sighed, and once again left the couch and walked over to a drawer. She pulled out some candles and placed them onto a chrome pillar. A small flame appeared at the tip of her finger, and she used it to light the white wax sticks.

"Woah, what was that? You didn't use a lighter."

"Oh, that? It was fire magic."

"You can do that?"

"Yes. Most monsters can."

"How does it work, exactly? Like, how do you just make a flame appear like that?"

"The actual process is complicated. But you simply "will" the fire into existence. I have to focus intensely on every attribute fire has. How it feels, smells, and so on. And it just appears."

"That sounds awesome. Can you use other elements?"

"Some. Other monsters are more proficient with certain types of magic, you see. Everyone is different. For example, I can do this."

She waved her fingers around in the air, a bright light shining from them. They left after images as they moved about. It was almost like those sparklers people play with on the fourth of July, except these were brighter. She drew a picture of a dog. The image hovered in the air, the fake animals dumb, static face staring at me. It was quite a sight to behold. 

She started to paint another picture. Eventually, a familiar face formed. It was me! My face was winking with its tongue out. It was shockingly very detailed for being made entirely of light. 

I couldn't help but clap.

Toriel bowed. She waved the images away.

The storm had let up. There was only a gentle sprinkle of rain outside now.

I yawned.

"Getting tired dear?"

"Yeah, looks like it."

"Then I'll show you the guest room."

I followed her up the stairs. She opened the door next to Frisks room. It was a rather plain room with a comfy looking bed. 

"Thanks for letting me spend the night, Tori. And for the free light show."

"It was my pleasure. Have a goodnight's rest and I'll see you in the morning." 

She gave me a quick hug.

"Thanks again for taking care of Frisk."

"It was no big deal."

She released and shut the door. I collapsed onto the bed. What a great day. 

For the first time in a very long time, I was genuinely excited to see what tomorrow would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of short chapter this time. I'm trying to focus more on character interaction and dialogue before I start to jump into the crazy stuff, so sorry if you were expecting something more urgent or eventful to happen this chapter. Thank you for reading.


	8. Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unacceptably long wait. Sorry.

A dim light glows from the monitor. Its the only thing illuminating the room. I was perusing a list of films on a movie streaming site. It was difficult to find one worth watching. Just when I found one that looked interesting, the screen went black. The sound of the machines whirring fan slowly dwindled until it was silent. I sighed, shaking my head in the darkness. The power must have gone out again. I put the laptop away and stared into the pitch black void that stood before me. My eyes adjusted and I could see a vague vision of the floor. I stumbled over to where the door was and swung it open. Instead of the apartment complex I was familiar with, what greeted me was a rocky desert canyon. The starry night sky was unblemished by clouds. I wonder how my apartment ended up here. While taking in the scenery I heard the sound of footsteps on gravel somewhere behind me. I go to investigate and see prints in the dirt, and follow them past the walls of my now detached apartment. 

Undyne is leaning against a lamppost with a fusebox on it, staring at the ground. I approach her.

"You're leaning on my box."

She smiles at me. Then reaches into her pocket and pulls out a hand mirror. She shines it at me. It isn't my face. It's Alphy's face. I look at my scaly yellow hands. Not how I expected to wake up.

I give Undyne a pleading look. She responds by removing her eyepatch. Her eye, or what was her eye, is mangled beyond recognition. Smashed eyelids with nothing in them. She reaches inside the socket, her digging making a nauseating squishing noise. Finally she pulls out a safety pin. Undyne unfastens it, and uses the sharp end to stab the mirror. An intense pain washes over my heart. Undyne is enveloped by a white light. Its blinding. When my vision clears I'm laying on my back, clutching my chest. She is hovering in the air, covered in golden armor, and carrying a golden shield. Her crimson hair is untied and blowing in the wind. In her hand she wields a mighty blue spear. She stairs down at me, her grin fierce and insane. I scream but no sound leaves me.

I awake with a gasp, dripping cold sweat. I panic a little, not immediately familiar with my surroundings. Yesterday's memories return to me and I relax. The clock reads 8:00 AM.

I rip the blanket off and stumble out the door. I find the bathroom and take a quick shower. I doubt Toriel will care. Actually, I wonder if shes awake.

I come out of the bathroom with wet hair and see Toriel with her arms crossed, smiling. I shout in surprise, not expecting anyone to be there.

"I'm sorry I startled you. I just heard the water turn on and came up."

"Its fine. I didn't know you were awake."

"I get up pretty early. Oh, and I made you breakfast! Its nothing fancy. Come on down." 

"Thanks."

There was a plate of eggs and toast smeared with jam on the kitchen table. The small trails of steam rising from the meal indicated it was still warm.

"Ah, this smells good." I take a seat. The sun shone through the window and onto the food, bathing it in a orange light. It gave the breakfast a lustrous look. I start digging in, savoring every bite. 

While I'm stuffing my face, Toriel takes a seat at the opposite end of the table, resting her chin in her hand, watching me.

"So, did you sleep well?" She said.

I gulp down a sizable chunk of toast. "I guess so."

"Dream of anything interesting?"

"It was sort of interesting. Mostly nonsensical though."

"Oh? I tend to find that those are the best dreams."

I swallow the last bite of food. "Could use something to wash this down."

"Ugh, how silly of me, I forgot to get you a drink. What would you like?"

"Some orange juice would be nice."

The chair creaks as she stands. I hear the sound of the fridge opening and liquid filling an empty glass. 

She places the drink next to my empty plate and takes a seat closer to me.

"So, lets hear it."

"Hear what?"

"About your dream, remember?"

"Oh, right!." I take a sip of the juice, "Mmm." 

I spend the next few minutes describing my bizarre dream to her. When I finish, she starts rubbing her chin, contemplating the odd tale.

"I wonder what it could mean? That sounds so peculiar."

"Dreams usually don't really mean anything, I think."

"I disagree. I think they can say a lot about what a person is feeling. I think you can interpret a lot from a dream, but this one kind of has me stumped."

"You think so?" I lean back, thinking. I usually never gave my dreams much thought. I always just thought of them as little TV shows that your brain shows you to keep you entertained while you're sleeping. 

"I do. Oh! Maybe it means you're intimidated by Undyne and her strength?"

"Could be. She is pretty scary."

"But what I don't understand is why you transformed into Alphys. That detail confuses me a bit."

"Not everything in a dream makes sense. Maybe some things do, but not all."

She sighs. "Maybe."

"TORIEL!" 

Frisk suddenly called out from above.

I put down my empty glass. "Sounds like the rugrats up."

Toriel smiled. "I'll go tend to them."

As she heads up the stairs, I decide to wash my dirty dishes to save old goat mother some work. I stand there and feel the warm water fall from the faucet onto my soap covered hands. I stare out the window and admire the beautiful morning in front of me as my body goes on autopilot, intimately familiar with this menial task. I put the plate and cup on a rack to dry.

I hear the heavy steps of Toriel coming down the stairs as I dry my hands on a towel.

"How are they?"

"Hungry. I'm gonna heat up some soup for them."

"Gotcha."

"Oh, thanks for washing those for me."

"Wasn't any trouble."

She pulls a bowl and a can of chicken noodle soup out of the cupboard. Its one of those that come with tabs on them, so no can opener required. Noodles and little goblets of chicken meat plop out of the can and float around in a thick yellow broth. She stuffs it in the microwave to heat it up.

Toriel sighs and leans against the kitchen counter, rubbing her forehead.

"I hope Frisk gets better. I've had the flu multiple times, and it always leaves me in a state of immobile misery." I said.

"Oh, I know they'll get better. Frisk much more resilient than most humans. Believe me."

"They definitely don't seem like your average kid. Way smarter."

"I know. Frisk always finds a way to surprise you."

The microwave dinged.

"Ah, its done." She pulled out the steaming bowl and carried it up the stairs. I decide to follow her up to check on the youngster.

Toriel handed the bowl over and Frisk started sucking it up like a fish. Soon the broth was gone.

"My goodness! Someone has quite the appetite this morning." Toriel said, surprised.

"I feel like a black hole is in my stomach."

I cross my arms, smirking. "Lets hope not, otherwise we'll be joining that soup you just disintegrated."

That got a giggle from them.

"Are you still hungry, honey? Do you need anything else?"

"I think I'll be okay. I just wanna watch cartoons."

"Okay. I'm gonna head back downstairs, you just yell if you need anything else."

"I will."

I followed her back down and found her washing the bowl.

"So uh, what are the plans for today?"

"Well, I guess you could stay here for a while longer and then I can take you home."

"Don't you still need me to babysit?"

"Today is my day off for the week. So I can take you home anytime you're ready."

"I think I can stay and talk a while."

"Sounds good to me!"

She put the bowl on the rack to let it dry.

"So," she said while drying her hands, "would you like to watch a film with me?"

"Sure! What did you have in mind?"

She moved into the living room and pulled a DVD off of the shelf, then read the title to me.

"It's called "Enemy"."

"Never heard of it."

"Its very good. I never thought human film could be this good. We mostly got a lot of junk movies dumped into the underground."

"Well, go ahead and pop it in." I sit on the couch and get comfortable.

She puts it into the DVD player and presses play, then takes a seat beside me.

I sit and watch the movie, enraptured by it. Toriel watches me intently, smiling at my reactions to the events in the film.

I gasp loudly when the ending hits, eyes wide, shocked and scared. The credits role.

"So, what did you think of it?" she asked.

"Jesus. That was incredible. It was like a fever dream in a yellow filter."

"I'm glad you liked it."

"You don't seem like the type of person to be into stuff like this."

"Like I said before, looks can be deceiving."

"Ain't that the truth."

"The film really resonated with me when I realized what it was really about."

"Yeah, I noticed what was actually going on. It's really clever. I wonder if Sans has seen it and what he thought of it."

"You could show it to him if he hasn't. I'll let you borrow the DVD."

"Whoa, really? That would be really cool."

"Its no trouble at all. It would be the least I could do after you helped with Frisk."

She pulls the disc from the tray to put it back in the case and hands it over.

"Thanks a lot, seriously."

"You're quite welcome." She smiles warmly. I take the case.

I yawn and stretch while getting off the couch. My stomach growls.

"Hungry again?" Toriel smirks with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, looks like it." I scratch the back of my head.

"Well, I'll make you some lunch then. PB&J sound good?"

"Ah, a real classic. I'd love it."

"I'll get to it then."

She goes through the whole process with a practiced fluidity. I never saw someone look so graceful while making a sandwich.

Toriel puts it on the kitchen table in front of me. I grab it and take a big bite. 

"Mmm, this just so happens to be my favorite brand of peanut butter."

"Oh, really? That's Frisks favorite as well."

"Kid has good taste then. Literally."

"Would you like some milk to go with it?"

"Oh, absolutely."

She fetches me a glass, and I take a swig. The cold taste of the milk mixing with the sandwich washing down my throat felt almost angelic.

I finish my meal and breath a satisfied sigh.  
"Thanks for this. I feel like I don't deserve all this kindness."

"Stop saying that. You did me a favor, so I'm going to spoil you rotten whether you like it or not."

I laughed. "You're an incredible woman."

A light tint of red appeared on her cheeks. "Oh, I'm not really all that much."

"No, you really are. A teacher, a mother, a great cook, and apparently a wizard."

Her face flinched a little. "I am not a wizard."

"You totally are! How else do you explain that fire magic?"

"Not all magic users are wizards."

"So a sorceress then?"

"I'm not that either!"

"Come on, you've gotta be. You even have the robes."

"Wha-" She looks down at her clothes. "These are NOT wizard robes!"

"But they've gotta be. You'd look great in a pointy hat. It would match the outfit perfectly."

An expression of annoyed anger appeared on her otherwise bright face. "I swear, you better stop calling me a wizard!"

I snicker a little. "Why? Whats wrong with wizards? They're pretty cool. You'd make a great wizard. They could call you Goatdalf."

She froze up.

"That's it. You're in for it now!" Toriel shouted, taking up a menacing posture, as if to lunge at me.

Heart racing, I get up out of the chair and start running.

"Come on Tori, it was just a joke!"

"I'LL SHOW YOU A JOKE!"

We ran in circles around the table, then into the living room. I tried to hide behind the couch, but she leaped over it with ease. The sound of her heavy, stomping footsteps behind me filled me with panic and dread. Her giant menacing shadow loomed near, bathing the ground in darkness. I felt her strong arms wrap around my waist as she tackled me to the ground, eating a face full of carpet.

"H-haha! Oh, god, no, stop!"

"This is what you get for making fun of a former queen!"

I closed my eyes, unable to face my impending doom.

I felt her hands grab my sides, and to my horror, she started tickling me.

Her giant, furry fingers roamed over my upper body, touching and poking and rubbing, eliciting laughter from me that almost sounded psychotic.

"P-please, stop, I'm sorry!" I shout out between gasps.

"You should have thought first before you decided to mock me." She was giggling gleefully, obviously having fun.

"Oh God, Toriel, ha ha! Stop!"

She tickled me for a good two to three minutes.

"Sweet Jesus, please stop, its starting to hurt!"

"Say you're sorry, and that I'm not a wizard!"

"I'm sorry and you're not a wizard! It was a bad joke!"

A smug smile adorned her lips. "Okay, I think you've suffered enough." She relented, not wanting to turn it into a genuine torture session.

"Oh, oh god, thank you." I lay on the carpet, gasping for breath. My sides felt like they had exploded.

She laughed, joyful, and laid on her back next to me.

"That was fun."

"It honestly was, I'll admit." I said.

She turned over to look at me. "We should do this again sometime."

"We really should. Today was a blast."

I yawn again. "I think its time for me to go home."

Toriel sighed. "I suppose it is. Let me go tell Frisk and we'll head out."

We go upstairs and she tells Frisk that she'll only be gone for a little bit, but will be right back. She makes sure Frisk has the phone right next to them in case of emergencies, and a spare key to get out of the house with.

"I'll be fine, Toriel. I'm not a baby."

"I know you're not, honey." She kisses Frisk on the cheek. "See you in a minute. I love you."

"Love you too."

We got in the car outside and she revved up the engine. We were off. The two of us sat in silence as the vehicle drove quietly down the road, trees and buildings passing us by in a blur. We pull up outside my apartment and get out of the car. I turn and face her.

"Tori, thank you for bringing me over. This was even more fun than last time."

"It was a genuine pleasure, (y/n)."

"I mean it. I'm..." The unfinished sentence hung in the air. "Look, I'm gonna be honest. Before I met you guys, I was really lonely. I never went outside. I was terrified. Terrified of other people. I felt like the world was just this scary, horrible place that was almost impossible to live in. I'd never had much reason to put much trust or faith in people, due to past experience. But, being with Sans, being with you, and the rest of the gang, has changed me. After only a few days of knowing you! I feel a little braver now. A little less afraid to open my door, thanks to you guys. That means a lot to me." A big heap of emotion swelled up in me.

"Oh, (y/n)." Her face held an expression of gentle sadness. Her arms wrapped around me and pulled my head into her chest in a soft hug.

"I'm glad that we've managed to help you with whatever problems you're going through. "

"I hate being such a mess of feelings. I'm a complete wreck of a person. I don't want to seem like I'm just begging for pity, or for attention. I' don't want to be a burden. I don't want to drag you down and make you feel bad just because I do. I feel so pathetic and weak, I jus-"

"Shhhh. It's okay."

We stood there and held each other for a few minutes. She let go.

"I guess I better head inside. I'll see you later. Thanks for everything, including the DVD."

"Take good care of it!"

As I was heading towards the doors, a thought occurred to me.

"Hey Tori, wait! I've got something I want to give you. Could you come up?"

She smiled, excited. "Really? I'll follow you right on up then."

We went up to my room and went inside.

Toriel looked around, admiring it."This is a nice place you have here. It looks like you take good care of it."

"Its decent enough." I go into my room and pull a few books off the shelf.

"Here, this is what I got for you."

"Oh, books? I've never read these before! How lovely."

"Yeah, they're really good. They're all Mark Twain books. Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and a book of some of his short stories. I'll warn you, Huckleberry Finn almost made me laugh myself to death."

"I'll keep that in mind." She grinned. "Thank you for this gift. I'll probably get to reading them as soon as I get home."

"I had to after all that food you made for me. Oh, and start with Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry Finn picks up right afterwards, if I remember correctly."

"I'll do that. I'll see you later. Remember to call me if you need anything!"

"I will. Be careful driving on that road. Goodbye!"

She shut the door. I crash on the bed, sore and drowsy. Sleep takes me immediately.


	9. Leftovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, again. But you're used to it by now, huh?

The warm, humid air of the room infected me with an oppressive drowsiness. Every thought and action was cloaked in a sleepy haze. The cigarette smoke didn’t help.

“Sans, put that out.”

He looked over at me, the burning stick hanging from his always smiling teeth. Breathing smoke from his nose, he smothered it an ashtray.

“sorry. next time I’ll take it outside.”

“Its okay. Just try to remember that some of us actually have lungs that can be destroyed, unlike you.”

“will do.” he picked up an old magazine and relaxed into the chair.

The door opened up and Undyne and Alphys came into the room carrying big sacks. The redhead casually tossed her sacks to the ground with a loud thump.

Alphys, knees shaking, tripped and fell, spilling the contents onto the floor. Unlabeled canned food and decayed, torn books rolled out of the bags.

Undyne hurried over to her lover. “Are you okay Alphy?”

The girl in question stood up, adjusting her glasses. “I’m fine, I’m fine. This stuff is just heavy. Having to lug this crap around for an hour was miserable!”

Sans peeked above his magazine. “Looks like you brought in a good haul.”

Undyne grinned. “Yeah, we found this stuff in some basement. I guess the guy who owned it didn’t have time to bring it with him when all hell broke loose.”

“bad for him, good for us.” He resumed his reading.

“Damn right.” Undyne began placing some of the canned goods in the empty cabinets. 

Then, Papyrus came in from the room adjacent to ours.

“UGH! I OVERSLEPT? WHY DID NONE OF YOU WAKE ME?”

“figured you needed your rest.”

“I WANTED TO GO OUT FORAGING WITH UNDYNE TODAY!”

Undyne looked over. “Hey, relax. I promise you’ll get to go next time, alright?”

“HMPH, fine.” He sat down on one of the beds, arms and legs crossed, pouting.

“Um, hey Pap, want to play Timesplitters with me?”

“I’M TIRED OF PLAYING THAT GAME! WE ALREADY UNLOCKED EVERYTHING AND PLAYED IT A MILLION TIMES!”

“Come on now, its a great game! We could always make a new map to play if you’re sick of the others.”

“THE MAP EDITOR IS SO LIMITED THOUGH! IF ONLY WE COULD HAVE FOUND TIMESPLITTERS 2 OR 3 INSTEAD, THEIR EDITORS ARE SO MUCH MORE ADVANCED!”

“That may be true, but its the only game we have. We’re lucky this place even has power! Besides, what else is there to do in this damned hospital? Its been abandoned for who knows how long and all the good drugs were raided long ago.”

“OKAY OKAY, FINE.”

I grinned and flipped the switch on the back of the console. The screen on the shitty silver television sprang alive with color. Undyne sat behind us and watched the game.

My eyes slowly open. Another weird dream. I look out the window. Its a foggy blue morning outside. I yawn and slip out of bed. I think about the dream in the shower. Why the heck did you decide to hold up in a hospital of all places? It would take ages just to get out the front door. Dreams never make sense.

Sans looked pretty hot smoking a cigarette though.

I get dressed and step out into the kitchen to make some cereal. I sit on the living room couch and start eating. The blue haze outside is soon replaced with a bright orange light. I put my empty bowl in the sink. I return to the couch. I lay back and stare at the ceiling. 

What are my plans for today? That’s the thing about living alone, unemployed. You have a lot of free time and not a lot of ways to spend it. When you’re employed, you have little free time but a ton of ways to spend it.

I look over at my CD player and decide to put some music on. Not too loud, of course. Wouldn’t want to get a noise complaint. I dig through my folder of CDs, looking for something to put on. I smile as I find one that feels just right to listen to.

It put it in and shut the lid. The song starts. The thumping base has me bobbing my head almost immediately.

Feeling energetic, I decided to get up and dance a little. I tend to do this when a song really gets me pumped.  
I get way into it. I actually break a bit of a sweat.

“uh, what are you doing?”

I am gripped by sheer terror as I hear a familiar voice behind me. I freeze mid-dance, standing like a statue sculpted by an idiot.

“are you okay?”

I shake from my fearful stupor. “Y-yes, fine! I was just exercising!” I rush to shut the music off.

“i saw that your door was unlocked and got worried. i thought someone might have broken in.”

I curse myself for being so stupid.

“I forgot to lock the door last night? I’m normally not that reckless. Sorry for scaring you.”

“it’s alright. papyrus wanted to give you this.” He hands over a package wrapped in plastic. It’s leftover spaghetti.

“Oh, tell him I said thanks.” I put it in the fridge. “Is that all you were here for?”

“i guess so. you’re a good a dancer, by the way.”

My face heated up. I averted my gaze. “I-I wasn’t dancing.”

“come on, you didn’t really expect me to fall for that “exercise” excuse did you?”

“Alright fine, I was dancing. And uh, thanks.” My face was bright red. Sans was actually complimenting me.

“you shouldn’t be embarrassed about it. most people have the moves of an air dancer.”

I giggled at that. “I’m glad to hear you say that. I actually think you’re the first person to ever see me dance.”

“really? never had an audience?”

“God no. I’d be way too nervous.”

“wow. so i got to see something really special today. something no other person has ever seen.”

I blushed again. “Yeah, I guess you did.” I crossed my arms, smiling.

His glowing sockets widened a bit in realization.

“hey, since the topic is about dancing, uh, i just got an idea.” He seemed hesitant.

“What is it?” I raised an eyebrow.

“well uh, i don’t really know how to dance. i’d like to learn how. so i thought that uh, maybe you could teach me how?”

My jaw dropped. I struggled to respond. My thoughts were frantic. Sans wanted me to teach him how to dance. That meant I’d get to be close to him. To touch him. But why was he asking me?

he scratched the back of his head, looking away from me. “so uh, what do you think?”

I snapped back to reality. “U-um, what brought this on? Why do you want to learn?”

“its uh, just something i’ve always wanted to learn. i’ve been interested for a while now.”

“W-well, er, I’m flattered, but why not just ask Mettaton? From what I’ve heard of the guy he seems to be a good dancer.”

“i personally can’t stand him. hes obnoxious. i only tolerate it because papyrus seems fond of him. you’re far from obnoxious.”

"I..." I was hesitant. "I guess I could teach you. But when should I start giving lessons?"

"we can start tomorrow if you want."

I could hear my heart thumping in my chest. "Alright! Sounds good." 

I remembered something. "Hey, have you ever heard of a movie called "Enemy."

"i've heard of it but never seen it."

"Really? You're a movie critic and you haven't seen it?"

"hey, i can't watch and review every movie ever. i guess it just slipped by me."

"Its a fantastic movie."

"most reviews were certainly positive."

"Well, I have a DVD copy of it. Wanna sit down and watch it with me?"

"i don't know. pap is probably expecting me to be back quickly."

"Come on, you're a big boy. I'm sure he knows you can spend time with your friends without him sometimes."

"i guess it can't hurt. lets give this thing a shot."

I grinned. "I'll get it ready." I pulled the DVD out of the case and popped into my player. The menu came up and we both took a seat on my couch. I pressed play on the remote.

We watched the film in silence for the full length, transfixed by the yellow haze in front of us. Sans visibly tensed up at a few scenes. This was a complete 180 from his reaction to that awful romcom we watched. Then the infamous ending came on screen, and the credits rolled. 

The final scene left him shivering. I'd never seen Sans that rattled.

"You okay?"

"yeah. that ending was just unexpected is all."

"Don't feel bad. It scared me the first time too. So, what did you think of it?"

"it was a great movie. that apartment confrontation scene was intense too."

"Oh god, yeah."

We heard the sound of banging against the door.

Before I could say anything, Sans got up to answer it.

"i'll get it. its probably papyrus."

The door opened, and that's exactly who was standing there to greet him.

"SANS, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR OVER AN HOUR! IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO DELIVER SPAGHETTI!"

"i decided to stay and watch a movie with (y/n). didn't think it would do any harm."

"YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED ME FIRST! I THOUGHT MAYBE A SPAGHETTI BANDIT HAD ATTACKED YOU!"

An awkward silence followed after Papyrus spoke those bizarre words.

"a...spaghetti bandit?" Sans finally uttered.

"YES, A SPAGHETTI BANDIT. THOSE PEOPLE THAT HIDE IN THE SHADOWS AND JUMP OUT TO STEAL YOUR SPAGHETTI! A SMALL LITTLE SKELETON LIKE YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY HOPE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST SUCH A POWERFUL FOE! IF ONE OF THEM HAD ATTACKED YOU, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE TO PROTECT YOU!"

"papyrus. there is no such thing as a spaghetti bandit. and even if there were, they wouldn't waste their time with lousy cold leftovers."

"SURE THEY WOULD! SPAGHETTI BANDITS DON'T DISCRIMINATE ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF SPAGHETTI THEY STEAL!"

"no they don't because they aren't real."

"YES THEY ARE! I READ ABOUT THEM IN THAT HUMAN BOOK!"

"that was a work of fiction, papyrus. it was a childrens book. it was made up."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS A HISTORY BOOK!"

"well it wasn't."

I could only sit and giggle listening to this absurd conversation. I decided to help Sans out cause he looked annoyed.

"Hey Papyrus!" I waved at him from over on the couch." 

He waved back at me. "OH, HELLO (y/n)! I HOPE MY LAZY BROTHER HASN'T BEEN BOTHERING YOU!."

"No, not at all. Hes been very nice, actually."

"WELL GOOD. HES USUALLY QUITE A PAIN."

"I'm right here you know."

"YES SANS, WE KNOW."

"You should really be more considerate towards your brother, Sans." I teased, grinning wide.

"oh, come on. i'm a very attentive sibling."

"ATTENTIVE TOWARDS PUNS, MAYBE."

"puns need love too."

"Gotta agree with him on that one, Pap."

"UGH, I FORGOT YOU'RE A PUN ENTHUSIAST LIKE HIM."

"whats the matter, can't take the punishment?"

"OH MY GOD!"

"Oh come on Papyrus, we're just having pun."

The skeleton brothers just stared at me.

"THAT IS THE WORST PUN I HAVE EVER HEARD."

"it was horrible. i loved it."

"WELL, LOOK, I JUST CAME HERE TO BRING YOU HOME. I NEED YOUR HELP CLEANING UP THE KITCHEN, ALRIGHT?"

"alright, fine. i guess its time for me to go home, (y/n)."

"Aw, okay. Remember to come over tomorrow, alright?"

"of course. i'll be over at 5:00 P.M. okay?"

"Sounds good to me."

"alright, see you then partner." The two bros waved at me and shut the door. This time I make sure to get up and lock it.

I lay on the couch and stare up at the ceiling. Sans and I, dancing. Tomorrow. I had to get ready. I turn the music from before back on and start dancing again. I listen to different types of music and practice multiple styles. I wanted to be prepared. I did this for the rest of the day before going to bed. It took me a while to fall asleep because of how excited I was.

Tomorrow would either be incredible or a disaster. I couldn't wait to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of an uneventful chapter.


End file.
